The Green Files
by expressurself
Summary: The Zeo Rangers try to pick up the pieces after the destruction of Angel Grove, learning the value of friendship and love. Rocky/OC. Adam/Tanya. Later Adam/Aisha.
1. Destruction

Author's Note: This is a Power Rangers fanfic work-in-progress. The story takes place during the Zeo period; characters include: Tommy, Kat, Rocky, Adam, Tanya, and my new character, Elizabeth Watson, who will act as the Green Zeo Ranger, and thus, Adam will serve as the Black Zeo Ranger. For the sake of this story, Elizabethwas friends with Rocky, Adam, and Aisha since they were kids living in Stone Canyon, so we presume that she starts Rangering with them before Zeo. Aisha has left for Africa, of course, and at the beginning, Zedd and Rita practically demolish Angel Grove and Stone Canyon. I hope you enjoy this!

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**The Green Files**

_At the Youth Center…_

"Holy shit," Rocky DeSantos breathed in a heavy sigh as he surveyed what was once his favorite hangout spot, the Youth Center. Now, it lay in a heap of debris, bricks and tiles strewn over the ground, covered with an overwhelming gray mist that seemed to loom over the entire town. Angel Grove had been struck viciously by monsters over the last two weeks, and though the Power Rangers had done their best to alleviate the destruction, the monsters had satisfied themselves with destroying most of Angel Grove and nearby Stone Canyon.

"You can say that again," a familiar voice replied from behind Rocky. He spun around and was greeted by the sight of one of his best friends since preschool, Elizabeth Watson, the present Green Ranger. Elizabeth was standing behind him with the aura of a casual observer, wearing blue shorts and a green tank top, arms folded with an expression of curiosity and surprise. However, Rocky knew that the destruction of Angel Grove had hit her the hardest. Along with the ruins of their old home town, Stone Canyon, and their present town, Angel Grove, Elizabeth had also lost her parents in the destruction. Luckily, her godparents, both very kind and open-minded souls, had moved from London to Angel Grove to be with her during this time of grief. Her godparents had been her parents' best friends since they were all children, so naturally, their deaths impacted Elizabeth's godparents just as much as they had on her.

Rocky remembered seeing the expression on Elizabeth's face when she learned of her parents' deaths. It was a look that he hoped he would never have to see again. The look of melancholy, depression, anger, and hurt had been etched on her face for days. She had refused meals and refused outings with her friends, preferring to wander near the beach or the park to have time to think. Rocky had never seen Elizabeth so detached and isolated before.

A usually optimistic and compassionate girl, Elizabeth had sulked around like a wounded cat, afraid to be handled by anyone. After a few days however, she was back to her somewhat usual vivacious self, after she had avenged her parents' deaths by defeating Apocalypse, the monster that had killed her parents and hundreds of other people that lived in the area. She told Rocky afterwards, when he found her walking in the surf, that she knew she couldn't mope around forever, wondering whether she could or couldn't have saved her parents from their ultimate deaths. She told him that she knew they would want her to continue to live and that no matter where they were now, they would always love her and know that she loved them too. It brought tears to Rocky's eyes whenever he thought of what she had said: to think about what Zedd and Rita had done to an innocent girl like Elizabeth and many others like her who had lost loved ones.

"Hey," Rocky smiled at his best friend, sticking his hands into the pockets of his shorts. The one thing that could arguably be better was the change in weather. Summer was fast approaching, he could tell, from the sudden heat wave that had hit Angel Grove about a week ago.

"Taking a look at what's left of the Youth Center?" Elizabeth smiled lightly, joining him on his left side. She surveyed the Youth Center with a troubled expression, and sighed heavily.

"It was the greatest place to hangout, and now it's gone." Rocky stated.

Elizabeth nodded in agreement, "It was like a second home, where we could spar and do our homework and just be teenagers. We didn't have to carry around the identity of being Power Rangers trying to save the world while upholding a perfect GPA or winning the next martial arts competition or dance recital. We could just be ourselves, without any attachments."

Rocky closed his eyes and smiled, "Be ourselves," he repeated. "I don't know if we could ever be ourselves when we're the Power Rangers."

"But we are," Elizabeth argued passionately, "Despite the fact that we have to protect this town and the rest of the world, we're still growing. We're still learning and having fun and being teenagers. We still have a year left of high school, and we're still trying to be adults."

Rocky smiled and swung an arm around his friend, "You were always the most optimistic out of all of us."

"I try to be," she replied very softly. "But it's hard sometimes."

Rocky nodded, "You don't always have to be brave. Sometimes, it's better just to be afraid. It's easier."

"It's easier, yes, but not helpful. Sometimes, I do want to just be afraid, curl up in my bed and sleep my worries away. But you and I both know that that's not how the world works. Sometimes, you have to be brave, even if you don't want to be." Elizabeth replied.

Rocky sighed, "Why do we have to be the ones who have to be brave?"

Elizabeth regarded with a superior smile. "Because that's who we are. We're the Power Rangers."


	2. Where's Rocky?

**Chapter 2: Where's Rocky?**

_At the shelter… _

"Where's Rocky?" Adam Park, the present Black Ranger, asked no one in particular. He wiped his forehead with a clean towel, worried.

"I think he went to get some fresh air," Tanya Sloan replied from a nearby corner. She hauled away another stone and threw it into another pile. The remaining Rangers were busy trying to fix up the shelter where many of the evacuees were currently residing in. The shelters were mainly the old caves Angel Grove was famous for, but they were unsuitable living conditions and highly dangerous, so the Rangers had volunteered to fix up the shelters so that the evacuees could live there until Angel Grove was ready to be rebuilt.

"I didn't see him outside," Katherine Hillard remarked, standing up straight. Her pink tank top clung to her lean frame, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. Her boyfriend, Tommy Oliver, handed her his towel and looked over at the other Rangers.

"Don't worry guys, I'm sure Rocky's alright. He probably went to town, if he's not here." Tommy said rationally.

"But why would he go to town?" Tanya asked quizzically. "There's not much in town to go to, if you know what I mean."

Tommy shrugged, "Maybe he went to visit Jen."

The other Rangers exchanged nervous glances. It was always a bad sign when Rocky went to visit Jennifer, his girlfriend of two years, who had died at the hands of Apocalypse just a few days after the monster started attacked Angel Grove. Rocky loved Jennifer more than he loved himself; he had almost committed suicide after discovering she was dead. He had stayed in bed for a week, trying to cope with Jen's death and the thought of spending the rest of his life without her. The only person who could reach through to Rocky during this difficult time had ironically been Elizabeth, who had suffered the loss of her parents during the same week Jen died. The two Rangers spent a generous amount of time with each other since then, trying to help each other deal with their losses. But every time that Rocky really needed to be alone, he would go visit Jen's grave at Angel Grove Cemetery. The last time Adam tried to visit Rocky at Jen's grave; he woke up the next day in the hospital with a headache. Since that incident, no one bothered Rocky again when he was at Jen's grave. The wound was still fresh, but they knew that in time, Rocky would unravel from his loss and be his friendly self again. Or so they hoped.

Adam sighed when he thought of his best friend grieving. He had known Rocky since they were kids. They had grown up together, along with Elizabeth and Aisha; the four of them were proclaimed the "Golden Quartet" in school. They were an inseparable group of friends, and were always there for one another. And after Aisha left the States for Africa, Rocky and Elizabeth were the only ones who could really understand the pain and distress of one of their best friends leaving. He remembered spending days grieving Aisha's departure with his remaining two childhood friends, and he vividly recalled the promise they made- that the three of them would stay together forever, no matter what.

However, lately, Adam felt that the three of them were drifting. Rocky and Elizabeth had both lost someone important in their lives, but Adam still had Tanya. He felt that his lack of loss was affecting his friendship with Rocky and Elizabeth. The two of them were bonding even more tightly than before, coping with deaths, while Adam was spending time cuddling with Tanya.

Instinctively, Adam watched Tanya from the corner of his eye. She was so beautiful and so sweet; he often wondered why she chose him. Then, he would chastise himself for thinking that way because he loved her, more than anyone could love her. But then, he would think about Elizabeth and he would wonder whether he loved Tanya more than Elizabeth.

He and Elizabeth had established a relationship since the third grade. Granted, they were in elementary school back then, so the concept of a relationship wasn't exactly any different from the concept of a friendship. But she had been his first stolen kiss near the beach, and many more afterwards. Their relationship grew stronger when they reached middle school, and during high school, it seemed that all Adam could think about was gentle, sweet Elizabeth. She was one of the best people he knew. Since they were young, she had blossomed elegantly and easily into a graceful, kind person. She was smart and breathlessly attractive, with an easygoing charm and a delightful personality. Anyone who met Elizabeth was at once captivated by her beauty and her exquisite charisma. Adam had always thought that he was the luckiest person in the world whenever he held her hand or hugged her or kissed her.

When Tanya came to Angel Grove though, he felt enraptured by her exotic beauty. Maybe it was because she was new, or maybe it was because of fate, but whatever it was, he found himself in Tanya's company more and more as days passed. Finally, he admitted that he was falling for her, and the two started a relationship that would eventually kindle into something truly amazing. However, telling Elizabeth had proved the most difficult task he encountered up-to-date, because he had been with Elizabeth since they were little, and the bond between them was something that could never be replaced, even by Tanya. Luckily, Elizabeth understood what Adam was trying to tell her. All she did was wish them both good luck, said Adam was lucky to have found Tanya, told Adam that she would always cherish what they had and that she loved him, and kissed him on the cheek before she left. It made leaving her even harder than he imagined.

"Do you guys know where Elizabeth is?" Tanya's voice broke his thoughts. Adam looked up sharply, and watched as the other Rangers exchanged worried looks. Kat inhaled a sharp breath of apprehension.

"You don't think something's happened to them, do you?"

Tommy was the first to deny Kat's theory. "I doubt it. Elizabeth's sensible and careful, and Rocky understands how dangerous it's become. Besides, they're both highly capable martial artists. They can take care of themselves if they run into trouble, and they'd call in backup if they need it."

Adam felt an uncomfortable lump in his throat. He tried to swallow past it, hoping that nothing had happened to his best friends.

As if on cue, he heard footsteps approaching. He quickly sat up from the wall he was leaning against and watched cautiously as Elizabeth and Rocky sauntered into the shelter, both sooty with dust.

Elizabeth pushed back a strand of hair and smiled when she saw Adam. He weakly smiled back, iniquitous thoughts of her lips on his crossing his mind.

"Hi," she said as she made her way deeper into the caves. Kat sighed with a breath of relief and embraced her friend tightly and gladly.

"We thought something happened to you two," Kat cried out.

Elizabeth smiled slightly, "Nothing happened. I just met up with Rocky at the Youth Center."

"What were you guys doing there?" Kat asked.

"Reminiscing," Rocky replied, sliding down to the floor of the caves. "We were thinking about everything's that happened and how fortunate we are to have one another. Even if Elizabeth's parents are dead, and Jen's gone, and a hundred other people have been killed or injured, we still have one another and I think that's incredibly lucky of us." The other Rangers stared at Rocky in incredulity. It was the first time he had publicly mentioned Jen since her death, and the way he referred to her was an indication that he was recovering, slowly but surely. It was a single ray of hope behind a dark cloud of despair.

"Glad that you think of us like that," Tommy clapped a hand on Rocky's shoulder. The others grinned in agreement.

Rocky smiled, "Of course."

Tommy nodded, "Good. Hey Kat, Tanya, can you two give me a hand with these boulders here? I just want to take them outside."

The two girls reacted immediately to Tommy's request, hurrying over to help lift one end of the boulder, while Tommy hauled up the other. The three of them exited the shelter, stumbling uneasily against the rock.

Rocky glanced at Elizabeth and Adam and smiled. Adam grinned back, "You worried me a lot, you know." He slid down the wall next to Rocky.

Rocky smiled back, "You were always such a worry wart."

Elizabeth walked over to where the two boys were sitting, and kneeled down, looking at both of them with a profound expression on her face.

"What?" Adam asked, curiously.

"I was just thinking about what Rocky said, about how lucky we are to have one another. And it just made me realize that I never do tell you two how much I love you both. So I'm saying it now. I love you guys." She said without hesitation. Rocky and Adam looked at each other once, bemused.

"Is this your carpe diem of the day?" Rocky smirked.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, "Come on guys, I'm serious. If someone asked me what I learned from these monster attacks, the most I can say is that I learned to appreciate life, and to always say 'I love you' to my best friends whenever I have the chance, because who knows when the next chance is going to be."

Adam sighed and reached out for her hand. Squeezing it tightly, he replied, "I promise you, there'll be a tomorrow for the three of us."

Rocky smiled and placed his hand on top of Adam's. "_Prometo también_. I promise too, for tomorrow and the day after tomorrow."


	3. A Glimpse into Friendships

Author's Note: I should have forewarned readers that this is NOT an Adam/Tanya fic, despite the second chapter's suggestions. They _are_ dating at the current moment, but they will be breaking up in the next few chapters. Sorry to spoil this bit of news, though it isn't really that important to the plot. So, for all of you who are Adam/Tanya fans, sorry about this but go out into fanfiction and find something else to read that's more suitable. Thank you.

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**Chapter 3: A Glimpse into Friendships**

_One day later…_

"Do you ever worry?" Kat broke through the silence, staring sideways at her friend. Tanya's springy hair whipped her face, a thoughtful expression crossing her face.

"What about?" She asked.

"You and Adam breaking up," Kat replied. It wasn't a question she would normally ask Tanya, who was very uncomfortable when it came to her relationship with Adam. But Kat supposed now was more of an appropriate time for the Yellow Ranger to reconsider her relationship with the Black Ranger.

Tanya shrugged, "Sometimes. But I'm just trying to take things one at a time. Luckily, I haven't fallen in love with him or anything yet. It'll hurt more if we did break up and I did love him."

"Will you ever love him?" Kat inquired inquisitively.

"I hope, someday. He's such a sweet boy, but he's so insecure. I don't know if there's a chance we can love each other." Tanya replied sadly.

Kat embraced her friend. "Don't worry, Tanya. Love takes time."

"I know, and besides, we're still very young. How many people can say that they found their soul mates when they're 16?"

"Elizabeth and Rocky," Kat grinned mischievously.

Tanya laughed heartily, "You saw it too, didn't you?"

Kat nodded, "When I first moved here, I thought I sensed a close link between them. I even asked if they were dating, but they surprised me by saying they were dating different people. I always thought they belonged together."

"I hope they recognize it, especially since Rocky just lost Jen. Maybe he'll realize Elizabeth's been there for him all the time." Tanya reasoned. "And it'll relieve my worries too, if they fall in love."

"How so?" Kat questioned.

"Then I'll know whether or not Adam really loves Elizabeth."

* * *

_At the beach…_

"I thought you'd be here," Adam fell next to a pensive Elizabeth, who jerked slightly but relaxed when she saw who it was.

"Hi Adam," she beamed. "What have you been up to?"

"Fixing up the shelters, but it's almost done. What about you?"

"I'm just thinking. This could be a new hangout spot. It's comfortable enough and very peaceful." Elizabeth remarked.

"But it doesn't carry Ernie's smoothies." Adam retorted.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, "Guys and food,"

Adam laughed, "More like Rocky and food, but I guess I earned that."

Elizabeth smiled softly, "Adam, you're my best friend."

"And you're mine too," he replied confidently.

"We'll always be best friends, right?" She asked, her green eyes piercing his.

"Of course, nothing will change that." He affirmed.

"Good," she smiled, turning back to the waves. "You know, ever since I was young, I believed that you, me, and Rocky would end up together." Adam raised an eyebrow in question and curiosity, urging that she continue. "Remember the eighth grade dinner dance we had before graduation?" Adam nodded. "Well, I was getting some punch by the punch bowl, and Megan McCauley came by and said, 'I don't get it. Are you going out with Adam or Rocky?' And I said, 'Why does it matter?' And she said, 'Because you can't spend the rest of your life with both of them. You can only choose one.' So I looked around the dance floor and I spotted you and Rocky standing near a wall, talking, and I turned to Megan and I told her, 'There, there are the two boys that I will spend the rest of my life with.'"

"But--" Adam interjected, puzzled. They hadn't even graduated yet, and she was discussing this like she already knew the future.

"No," Elizabeth interrupted, pushing a finger on his lips. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you and Rocky. It doesn't matter to me whether you're going to be married, or Rocky's going to be married, or I'm going to be married. I just know that 50 years from now, we're going to live down the street from one another, rocking in our creaking chairs, watching our grandchildren play with each other and complain that kids are so irresponsible."

Adam chuckled, glancing up to see Elizabeth's eyes were brimming with tears. He reached over and wiped a tear away, smiling faintly.

"I love you, Elizabeth. I always will." He whispered. "You're my best friend. You are my pillar of strength, my conscience, my heart…" He stared directly into her green, shimmering eyes and smiled. "I am who I am today because of you."

Elizabeth regarded Adam with a strange, bewildered look, as though she was seeing him for the first time in years. "That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me." She responded. Adam blushed furiously red.

"Elizabeth, I--" But before he could say anything, another voice, more fiery and flamboyant, called out to the withdrawn couple.

"Elizabeth! Adam!" Rocky skidded to a halt, sprinkling his friends with light dusts of sand. Elizabeth brushed out the sand from her clothes and beamed at Rocky with obvious delight.

"Hi Rocky, what have you been up to?" She asked, scooting over so that Rocky could sit beside her.

"Just hanging around, talking to people," He replied nonchalantly. He turned to Adam with a smile- "Miss Sloan is looking for you, by the way."

Adam grinned coyly, "What did she say?"

"She said if you don't get your butt over to the caves in three seconds, you're putty-toast." Rocky laughed hysterically. Adam rolled his eyes and knocked Rocky down, and the two boys began to wrestle. Rocky managed to free himself from Adam's grasp and began running along the beach.

"You…are…going…to…_die_," Adam shouted, and then raced towards Rocky, who bolted away, laughing.

Elizabeth stared after them for a moment, thinking: _What are they, twelve? _She brushed off the sand from her shorts and stood up slowly, looking up just in time to see Adam jump on Rocky, knock him over, and begin tossing sand into his shirt. Rocky yelled, and began scrabbling in the sand with his fingers in an attempt to make a sand ball. Looking at them, she suddenly saw another image superimposed over this one: she saw the two of them rolling over and over in the snow with her when they were all fourteen and it hadn't mattered that she was a girl, she had still been fair game to have her shirt pockets stuffed with ice, and she missed that suddenly - suddenly and piercingly. They had been so happy together, the three of them, a perfect unit. Stealthily, she bent down and gathered up a handful of loose sand, which ran through her hands like silk. She crept up behind Rocky, who seemed gleefully intent on shoving sand into Adam's shorts, and very carefully dumped the lot of it down the back of his shirt.

The yell that greeted this sally was instantaneous and very gratifyingly loud. Rocky fell sideways into the sand, yowling, while Adam, sitting up with his black hair full of sand, was speechless with laughter.

Rocky looked at her reproachfully. "Elizabeth! Cheating!"

"Don't be a sore loser, Rocky DeSantos," she replied, scooped up a handful of ocean water, and hurled it at him. Rocky reached out and grabbed for her leg, and she slipped and fell sideways onto Adam, who commenced stuffing sand into her camisole with an apparent total disregard for niceties. Elizabeth shrieked and wriggled away, grabbing for Rocky with her hands. Shouting with laughter, they all three rolled to the edge of the beach, tangled together, finally fetching up against a small tide. Elizabeth sat up first, spitting sand out of her mouth and holding her chest, which was beginning to hurt from laughing. Her camisole was soaking wet and her hair hung in wet, ratty tendrils all around her face, but she didn't care. She watched as Adam and Rocky sat up as well, both as thickly covered with sand as if they had been rolled in icing sugar.

"Well," said Rocky, "That was -"

He was cut off as Elizabeth leapt forward and threw her arms around them both, hugging them tightly. Both Rocky and Adam seemed astonished at this sudden display of affection; Rocky patted her gently on the back. Finally she pulled back and looked at them - covered in sand, clothes clinging to their skin. They could almost have been the two boys who had collapsed on the hard ground of the Dark Dimension after battling the Serpent of Darkness so many years ago.

"I just want you to know," she said suddenly, surprising herself, "that I love you - I love you both, no matter what ever happens to us, ever."

Adam looked at Elizabeth, and then at Rocky, obviously very embarrassed indeed. "Beendrinking again, has she?" he demanded.

Rocky nodded. "It's becoming a problem."

Elizabeth held out her hands. "Oh come on," she said, and without being told what to do, each of them took one of her hands - Adam the left, and Rocky the right. "We'll always be together," she said, her voice firm. "Won't we - won't we?"

Rocky and Adam looked more embarrassed than ever. "Well, not always," said Adam. "I think I'm going to need a hot bath after this, and I plan to do that on my own, thank you."

Rocky grinned at him. "What, you don't need anyone to scrub your back?"

Adam wiggled an eyebrow. "Are you offering?"

"Nah," said Rocky. "I was thinking of that monster we defeated awhile ago that had that immense crush on you- Myrtle the Turtle."

"Oh shut up, you two," Elizabeth interjected despairingly. "Look - just promise me we'll always be friends, won't you? Because if you don't, I will personally tell Myrtle that you both love her, and she'll never leave you alone again. Okay?"

"Okay," said Rocky, laughing. "I promise."

"I do too," said Elizabeth. "I promise."

She looked at Adam; they both did, and it seemed to her that he looked oddly moved, as if somehow her pronouncement had made him sad. "I promise," he said. "We'll always be friends."


	4. Accidents

Author's Note: I should remind readers that although the Rangers are Zeo Rangers (and thereby, should be battling Mondo's Cogs), they will be fighting Zedd and Rita's Putties instead, since Zedd and Rita are the ones who practically destroyed Angel Grove.

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**Chapter 4: Accidents**

_Two hours later_…

"Elizabeth! Elizabeth!" An accented voice exclaimed. Elizabeth turned around and watched as Kat hurried towards her, her blonde hair whipping her face in a flickering sheet of gold.

"Hey Kat," Elizabeth beamed as her Australian friend caught up with her, panting. The Pink Ranger was dressed for the blistering weather- a pink camisole and blue denim shorts- but she still appeared weary and damp with heat.

"Hi, I've been trying to catch up with you for blocks!" Kat said, regaining her breath. She smoothed out her pink hair band, patting down her blonde locks.

"I'm sorry Kat. I was just thinking," Elizabeth replied, falling in step with the Pink Ranger, shoulders aligned.

Kat glanced at Elizabeth, studying her friend. Elizabeth was wearing a similar ensemble to Kat's- a green laced camisole and blue denim shorts- and her hair was piled on top of her head to allow the cool air to hit her, although in Kat's opinion, there was hardly a breath of cool air in Angel Grove. Kat noticed that despite the typical, usual outfit Elizabeth had donned and its similarity to Kat's clothes, the way Elizabeth wore it made her seem much more relaxed and chic than Kat could pull off. There was certain sophistication that Elizabeth possessed that Kat knew she didn't own. Few girls could own that refinement.

As the two rounded a rather deserted block, Kat noted two boys walking towards them. The boys seemed just a few years younger than themselves. As the boys passed Kat and Elizabeth, they stopped and examined both girls, though Kat was quite aware that they were staring intently at Elizabeth longer, and then they whistled loudly, hooting and shouting.

Kat looked back at the two boys, thinking: _What idiots_, and glimpsed at Elizabeth, who was rolling her eyes.

"Boys," Elizabeth murmured under her breath.

Kat giggled, "Oh come on, Elizabeth. You've spent your entire life with two boys. Clearly, this can't be new to you."

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked, puzzled.

"Well, I'm sure Adam or Rocky have mentioned before how boys just _flock_ to your side, wanting a peck on the cheek." Kat embellished, smiling widely.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at her friend and grinned mischievously. "You think that Adam or Rocky would say something like that?"

The two girls burst into laughter. Kat smiled at the amusement they had tangled themselves into. It was refreshing to hear the sounds of laughter rather than the screams of the innocent trying to free themselves from the pain and torture of Zedd and Rita's monsters.

"But seriously, Elizabeth, you are a boy magnet." Kat emphasized.

Elizabeth shrugged, "I never considered myself a boy magnet. Adam and Rocky have mentioned that I do attract a fair amount of onlookers, but I never thought twice of it. I mean, I've spent twelve years with Rocky and Adam, and I guess I just never realized my effect on boys. I always thought I was one of them."

"But you're not," Kat retorted firmly, "You're a girl, and an attractive one too. I'm surprised you didn't notice Rocky or Adam make passes at you before."

Elizabeth smirked, "Adam? Rocky? The two most immature boys of the century make a pass at me? I doubt it."

"Oh come on," Kat replied, "Surely, you must notice the way Adam's eyes always light up whenever you come into a room, or the way Rocky trips over stools or benches whenever you walk by."

"That's just because they're impractical. They're not serious when they're 'flirting' with me. Okay, so I confess that Adam and I have kissed and been a couple, but for a majority of our relationship, we were in elementary school. And Rocky and I have always been close, but only like brothers and sisters."

Kat sighed and patted Elizabeth on the shoulder sympathetically. "One day, you're going to realize that your two best friends are both in love with you."

* * *

_Two days later…_

"Where're you going?" Rocky asked as he watched Elizabeth brush back her long black hair and plaited it into a single braid down her back. She was wearing a light green tank top, short denim shorts, and black flip-flops. In her right hand, she was carrying a bottle half filled with water.

"There's a cleanup conservation project in the park that I'm heading. Volunteers can signup to help replant flowers and trees that were destroyed by the monsters. I thought it would be helpful if people take a break from all this construction and help make Angel Grove beautiful again. It can revive people's minds and let them breathe in some fresh air while they're helping out." Elizabeth explained, tossing water bottles into a cardboard box.

"That sounds like a great idea!" Rocky exclaimed excitedly. He knew that Elizabeth was a devoted conservationist, but he had no idea that she pulled off a major project amidst reconstruction and rebuilding. And she was right- it would give everyone a sense of relief to get away from the dust and filth of rebuilding stores and hauling away rocks and debris. A few days ago, Rocky was given the job of removing the dead corpses of victims from the piles of debris, and it was not an experience he'd enjoyed. Moving the shattered bones and limbs of the innocent victims who had been burned to death, trampled by monsters, or trapped under falling buildings forced Rocky to relive the horrifying two weeks.

Elizabeth beamed happily, "Thanks Rocky. If you want, you can come and help. I know that you're still in construction right now with the others, but I'd really appreciate it if you could help out for a few hours."

"No problem, Elizabeth. I'll help out all day if you need me to." Rocky replied enthusiastically.

Elizabeth smiled, "Trying to get out of construction?"

"Well," Rocky frowned, "I'm not exactly in the construction lining of business right now, so, technically no."

"Oh yeah, I heard that you had to move the corpses," Elizabeth grimaced, "I'm sorry about that, Rocky. It must have been hard."

"It was difficult to see the faces of people who we could have saved, but I tried not to think about it too much." Rocky replied half-heartedly.

Elizabeth touched his shoulder sympathetically. "That's really brave of you. I know I could never have the courage to move the corpses. It'd be too painful."

Rocky nodded wordlessly. For a few minutes, there was silence between the two friends, but then, Rocky coughed and tried to smile at his best friend. "So, I'll help you carry these boxes to the park then." He bent down and lifted one of the cardboard boxes, trying his best to lift the somber mood.

Elizabeth immediately took action and grabbed another box. "Thanks so much, Rocky. This is great. After we're finished planting in the park, I organized a small celebration, you know, to thank everyone for volunteering and to relieve some of this stress that's been put upon us. Everyone's been dealing so well with the destruction and helping out with rebuilding Angel Grove and Stone Canyon, so that I thought I could treat everyone to a dance party."

Rocky beamed, wrapping Elizabeth into an embrace. "That sounds terrific Elizabeth. Honestly, you always have the best ideas." Elizabeth flushed as she and Rocky made their way towards the park, their arms loaded with various items. They continued chatting as they made their way to the park, discussing the party and making necessary arrangements, enjoying each other's company.

Suddenly, a bright white column of light flashed in front of them, and they were surrounded by Putties. Rocky and Elizabeth dropped their boxes simultaneously, taking fighting stances as they surveyed their enemies, back-to-back. Rocky glared at the Putties with obvious dislike. "Come on, Elizabeth. Let's show these brainless soldiers what we're made of!"

"Right!" Elizabeth grinned as she felt Rocky take off from behind her. Instantly, she charged forward, knocking down several Putties with one flying kick. She then somersaulted backwards until she touched the trunk of a tree, and flew up, executing a perfect backwards flip, and causing several Putties to charge headfirst into the tree. Smiling, she continued fighting Zedd's soldiers, gaining the upper hand. After awhile, she looked around to make sure Rocky was alright, and found, to her absolute horror, that the remaining Putties had decided to gang up on Rocky and he was severely outnumbered. She watched as one of the Putties kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying into a tree. Enraged, she quickly rushed over to where he was lying, and kneeled beside him.

"Rocky!" She screamed, terrified that he was hurt. "Rocky, are you okay?"

Before he could respond, a crowd of Putties lunged for her. She spun away expertly, hitting them square in the chest and watching them vanish in dissolving smoke. She continued to fight the Putties until they decided to resign and disappeared and she was left alone in the park with Rocky once again.

Running a quick scan around her, she kneeled back down and surveyed Rocky with anxious eyes. The Blue Ranger muttered incoherently and Elizabeth was concerned that he had received a mild concussion to the head. She checked his body for injuries, finding a bruise on his stomach where the Putties had attacked him, several on his arms and legs, and one on his forehead.

"Rocky, Rocky, can you hear me?" She murmured, holding him in her arms. She felt Rocky stir beneath her, and she watched with baited breath as he struggled to open his eyes. Elizabeth breathed in a desperate sigh of relief as his brown eyes met hers.

"Elizabeth?" He croaked, obviously in pain.

"Oh thank God," She muttered, holding his face in her hands and kissing his forehead wound. He winced, but smiled lightly, his eyes closed.

"I'm okay." He said, though he hardly felt like it.

"Bullshit," Elizabeth whispered, "You look like nine shades of hell, Rocky. You almost received a concussion too."

"But I didn't," Rocky argued, opening his eyes again. "I'm alright, really. I just wasn't too lucky at the end."

"Those bastards," Elizabeth mumbled furiously, "those cheating bastards. They knew fairly fighting us both was not going to improve their chances of winning, so they decided to gang up on you. And now, you're hurt."

"I'm not, Elizabeth." Rocky replied firmly, sitting up. He winced once, but swallowed past his pain. Elizabeth regarded him with a wary glance.

"We better take you to the Power Chamber. Alpha can run some tests on you to make sure you're okay." Elizabeth advised.

Rocky was about to argue against this idea, but stopped when he saw the determined look on Elizabeth's face. He sighed, knowing that Elizabeth was not going to back down. She was forthrightly stubborn and firm when it came to certain ideas and proposals.

"Alright, let's go. But I don't see the need to. I'm only doing this because you're one persistent, too-goddamn-caring-for-your-own-good woman."

Elizabeth smiled wryly, "I know," And teleported them both out in shades of green and blue light.


	5. A Talk Between Old Friends

**Chapter 5: A Talk Between Old Friends**

_At the Power Chamber_…

"Your test results are all negative, Rocky," Alpha replied after a few minutes of scanning and prodding the Blue Ranger with a few devices. "I think it's best if you rest here for a few hours, and then you can return back to Angel Grove." Alpha announced his diagnosis, stashing away his medicinal gadget.

Elizabeth sat down next to Rocky, who put his blue t-shirt back on, heaving a sigh. Elizabeth patted Rocky gently on the back in condolence. "It's okay, Rocky. You can still help out with the planting later. And you certainly won't miss the celebration tonight."

Rocky nodded, "I guess that's true. But I shouldn't be resting. I should be out there helping the others with reconstruction or planting."

Elizabeth shook her head, "No, you've done more than enough. You need your rest right now. That Putty fight drained a lot of your energy. We haven't fought with them for awhile now, so our adrenaline's too pumped up right now."

"Elizabeth is right, Rocky. It is best if you stay here and get some rest for a few hours. Then, you can return to help your friends." Zordon recommended.

Rocky realized that he was fighting a lost battle. He nodded mutely, leaning back against the medical bed. Elizabeth immediately jumped off, smiling down at the Blue Ranger.

"Sleep well, Rocky," she said, leaning forward and granting him a kiss on his cheek. Rocky felt himself flush beet red, and he smiled in response, closing his eyes, and letting the world dissolve peacefully around him.

* * *

_At the park_…

"I'm going to take a break, Tanya." Adam said dropping his shovel and wiping his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt. The sun was beating down hard on him, and wearing a black t-shirt and having black hair did not accompany excellent results. Adam found that he was sweating profusely.

"Alright, go ahead. I'll take a break later on," Tanya replied, planting a quick kiss on her boyfriend's cheek. Adam then wandered over to the break area, a shady spot underneath several leafy trees. He accepted a cup of water from the volunteers who worked at the break station, and leaned against the trunk of a tree, exhausted. Ten minutes passed before he heard footsteps approaching.

"Feeling tired already?" He smiled as Elizabeth strolled over to his side, taking off her gloves. She had a smudge of dirt on her cheek and he could detect beads of perspiration from working so hard, but nevertheless, she looked content.

"A little," he admitted. "The sun's never been my best friend."

Elizabeth smiled, "Remember in second grade when we all went to the beach all day? Your mom couldn't even recognize you underneath your tan!"

Adam laughed in remembrance. "That was a good day, though. It was worth getting that tan."

Elizabeth sighed, reaching for Adam's cup. She drank the rest of the water and sprawled out on the grass, her head on Adam's stomach. "I wish Rocky was here." She finally said, sounding guilty.

Adam looked down at his friend, frowning. "Elizabeth, you don't really believe that it was your fault that Rocky got hurt, do you?"

"Can you blame me? If I had just paid more attention to the fight, I would have noticed the putties ganging up on him. He almost got killed because of me. I was too self-absorbed in the fight, wanting revenge for everything's that happened that I failed to acknowledge Rocky."

"Elizabeth," Adam said softly, catching her attention. "I've known you for years. I know you to be one of the most perfect people; you're smart, you're beautiful, you're confident and spirited, optimistic, kind, and caring. But if someone asked me if you had any weaknesses, the one thing I would probably say to them is that you put too much guilt on yourself," Elizabeth chuckled softly. "It's not your fault that Rocky was injured, okay? When we became Power Rangers, we knew the risks. We knew that we might get hurt or killed in the process, but accepted because the world needed us, and we wanted to help. Rocky knew that. And so do you. When those putties came, both of you sprang into action and tried to defeat evil. And although Rocky was injured, you still managed to save him. You saved Rocky, and he's okay right now, thanks to you," Adam sighed, "Besides, being guilty isn't your job. It's Tommy's."

Elizabeth stifled a laugh, and looked up at Adam, her bright eyes dancing. "Thank you Adam. That means a lot of me."

Adam nodded wordlessly. "No problem. That's what I'm here for."

The two of them sat in silence, enjoying the shade and the occasional breeze that drifted by. They heard excited chattering around them; many volunteers had come to help plant trees and flowers, eager to help Angel Grove become beautiful quicker.

"You did a spectacular job." Adam acknowledged. "You managed to get all these volunteers to come here, and promote peace and conservation."

"Thanks," Elizabeth blushed.

"Not to mention you're going to give the greatest party of the year." Adam smirked, laughing as Elizabeth rolled her eyes and pushed him playfully.

"Just be glad I'm giving the party; it might be the only one you're going to all year." Elizabeth said, half-serious, half-joking. Adam sighed and leaned against the tree again, watching the rest of the team working. Tommy was shoveling dirt, Kat was dragging a wagon full of pansies and daffodils, and Tanya was planting them. The cooperation among the three was evident, as months of teamwork played out. Adam could even detect his friends' emotions; Kat was physically exhausted of having to drag the wagon around, obvious from the way her shoulders slumped together, but she was eager to help. Tommy was somewhat tired from planting for hours straight, but he was enjoying himself, apparent from his bright smile and his enthusiastic conversation with the two girls. Tanya was mentally and physically fatigued; plainly unmistakable by the way she patted the soil down. Adam glanced at Elizabeth, who was also watching the rest of the team. He could not detect a single hint of exhaustion from the Green Zeo Ranger; she seemed perfectly at ease and pleased at the rate the planting was going, and she didn't seem affected by the sun's burning radiance.

"We are one inseparable team," Elizabeth suddenly remarked. Adam raised an eyebrow in response to her outburst, but then nodded after a contemplative moment.

"Yeah, we are. But, I'm sure any group of friends who spend 24 hours of the day; 7 days of the week with each other, excluding sleep, fighting monsters and protecting the world can be inseparable." Adam said teasingly.

Elizabeth smiled broadly, "I'm sure they can, but the bond between the six of us seems stronger than any team we've been with before."

"Excluding us with the Ninja powers," Adam interjected. Though he agreed that he, Elizabeth, Rocky, Kat, Tommy, and Tanya were an inseparably strong team, he firmly believed that the team of him, Elizabeth, Rocky, Kim, Tommy, Billy, and Aisha, the Ninja Rangers, had been far more connected relationship-wise and friendship-wise. He sometimes wished that they could go back to that old team, wished with all his might that Billy could return from Aquitar, Kim from Florida, and Aisha from Africa, so that they could all reunite and be the Ninja Power Rangers again. He recalled their journey to Phaedos with remarkable recollection; how innocent they had all been back then, how playful and happy. They had never been stronger, never been more invincible than that one year. He missed Billy's brilliance that outsmarted any monster of Zedd or Rita's, missed Kim's perkiness and enthusiasm for jumping into any battle, and undoubtedly missed Aisha's optimism and spunkiness, not to mention her love for all her friends, especially Rocky, Elizabeth, and himself.

"I miss Aisha." Adam voiced. He watched as Elizabeth's expression turned somber, and she sighed unevenly.

"Me too," She replied, smiling at Adam calmly. She took Adam's hand in hers, squeezing it tightly for comfort. "I miss her friendship. I know you do too. Rocky does as well. It just doesn't feel the same without her. You, Rocky, and Aisha, and I have been friends since kindergarten. We've been together everyday since we were four years old. With Aisha gone, it feels like we have to cross a giant canyon in order to not feel so empty."

"Together everyday since we've been four," Adam repeated. "That's incredible. I can't believe we're still friends after spending all this time together."

Elizabeth gently punched him, laughing. "Hey, we can stop right now if you want, Adam Daniel Park."

"Hell no, Elizabeth Charlotte Watson," Adam said, challenging her back with her middle name. He surprised himself briefly by saying a curse remark, but Adam had never been too shy around Elizabeth and he was growing out of his bashfulness, especially around women, mostly due to the courtesy of Elizabeth. She helped regain his confidence and willpower around women, particularly after noticing the attraction between him and Tanya.

"What are you planning to do after we graduate?" Elizabeth inquired curiously, changing the topic.

Adam shrugged impulsively, his gaze faraway. He really had no idea what he was going to pursue after graduation, which was only about a year away. Then what? He had no idea what the future would hold for him or his friends. And he had no idea what would happen with their powers. Would they give them up or would they continue on their roles of acting the heroes?

"I don't know. I…I really have no idea." He replied, somewhat lamely.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow suggestively. "Didn't you tell me last year you wanted to be a stuntman?"

Adam felt his cheeks reddened in color. He'd forgotten he had the career conversation with Elizabeth before; he thought he hadn't revealed his secret fascination of pursuing a career in stunting. Martial arts had been his passion for thirteen years; it had given him the strength to stand up against bullies in school, and the boast of self-confidence he needed when making new friends.

Unquestionably, martial arts was Rocky and Elizabeth's forte as well, given that the three of them had taken up martial arts together when they were little, along with Aisha, but for his best friends, the purpose of the class was more of a leisurely activity and enjoyment shared by friends than a self-reliance and boast of confidence class. Granted, Rocky, Elizabeth, and Aisha had all been very self-confident and assertive even when they were little, so martial arts didn't give them the same satisfaction it had given Adam to stand up to the bullies in school who'd picked on him for being short and scrawny.

Elizabeth was especially talented when it came to martial arts. Though the class didn't serve as a self-boasting lesson, it had helped her mature faster and easier into an intelligent, witty, and attractive girl. Adam was certain that her taking martial arts had benefited her in her intellectual wit and accomplished humor, chiefly with Zedd or Rita. She was able to retort faster than any of the Rangers when it came to one of Zedd or Rita's old-fashioned surrender rants, often silencing both rulers and any of their monsters with her unsurpassed cleverness. Adam was both proud (and slightly ashamed) at the fact that Elizabeth could simply beat him in any spar or competition. The last competition the two engaged in ended up with a landslide victory: 8 to 1. Since then, Adam bowed down from competing with Elizabeth, knowing it was fruitless to contend against her. The only people Adam knew who challenged Elizabeth up to date were Tommy or Rocky. Albeit, Tommy was the leader and so, proved to be a more tactful and capable fighter than Adam, though from the spars Adam watched the two engage in, Elizabeth had prevailed as the champion almost every time. Still, Tommy was an endowed martial artist, and proved a more difficult to beat opponent than Adam or any of the girls. Rocky was still keen on challenging Elizabeth as well, although this was more because of Rocky's sense of pride than his enthusiasm and skill on rivaling Elizabeth's undefeated scores. Nevertheless, Adam had witnessed Rocky triumph over a few times, but this was (in Adam's opinion) more or less an act on Elizabeth's part. Adam swore that the last time she and Rocky had spared, she deliberately allowed Rocky to take her down.

Despite what many people believed, Rocky was a very talented and difficult adversary. He had incalculable skill in martial arts, practicing and exercising daily to improve upon his abilities. Adam knew his longtime best friend was planning on opening a dojo once they finished high school; a feat Adam believed was perfect for Rocky, who both loved martial arts and kids. Adam always considered people's lack of trust and faith in Rocky's abilities to be Rocky's greatest asset, as he could then easily surprise and surpass his opponents, earning much astonishment from teammates and challengers. Though he appeared habitually goofy, without tact, and constantly playful and teasing, Rocky was passionate and serious in his karate and upheld a code of honor and ethics that even exceeded Elizabeth's honorary code.

"I thought about it," Adam replied after a long moment of contemplation. "I'm not so sure though, because I'm so self-conscious. I won't be able to last in front of the cameras for more than three seconds." He confessed.

Elizabeth squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I'm sure you'll be fine, Adam. Just don't doubt yourself. Remember, whatever you do, I'll always support you and be behind you 100, guaranteed."

"Even if I choose to become a crazed murderer?" Adam asked, grinning mischievously.

"Well, if that happened, I'd call a psychiatrist and wonder how I became friends with you." Elizabeth retorted, smiling brightly.

"It's because you, Rocky, and Aisha felt sorry for me since I was too shy to play with anyone." Adam replied, recollecting that fateful day when Elizabeth practically dragged him out of his house so he could play with them. Though he admitted before that he was terrified of playing with Rocky, Aisha, and Elizabeth back then, he never regretted his decision. Had Elizabeth not persuaded him to come out, he didn't know where he would end up now.

"Be glad that we managed to persuade you. Your mom was so happy that we wanted to play with you, but you were as scared as a duck! What if I never went inside your house and dragged you down the stairs?" Elizabeth demanded.

"I'd probably end up in an asylum." Adam admitted, smiling.

"That's right," Elizabeth agreed, her eyes twinkling with laughter.

"Had it not been for you, my life would never have been so wonderful. Everything I have right now, I owe it to you. Meeting you that day so many years ago was honestly the best thing that ever happened to me, and is probably the best thing that will ever happen to me. I can't think of anything that would rival our friendship. Because of you, my life has been so complete." Adam confessed, pouring his heart out. Although he was shy and sensitive, never admitting his true feelings about his friends, he didn't stop the words coming out. He knew they were the right thing to say, and judging from the look on Elizabeth's face, he knew she agreed.

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms under his, allowing him to embrace her tightly. She hugged him back, rubbing his back, and he felt tears stain the back of his shirt. He gently patted her hair, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo, enjoying the comfort that he could seek in her arms.

They stayed like this for awhile, before he heard a forceful cough behind them. Immediately, Adam opened his eyes, and finding Tanya staring at the two, separated from Elizabeth quickly. Elizabeth stared quizzically at Adam, but one glance from his eyes and she looked up, spotting Tanya. She felt her cheeks flush with color, and she wrapped her arms around her legs protectively, feeling violated and disappointed.

"Um…hi, Tanya," Adam said, breaking the awkward silence.

* * *

Ohhh...cliffhanger! What's going to happen next? Find out on the next chapter of the Power Rangers! 


	6. Realizations

**Chapter 6: Realizations**

Tanya regarded Adam with a cold expression that could have cut glass. Simply, she replied, "Adam, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Uh…sure," Adam agreed, swallowing past his nervousness. He stood up and followed an uncommunicative Tanya down to the lake.

He watched as she stopped beside the edge of the water, and picked up a stone. She examined it for a minute before flinging it as hard as she could into the water, watching the ripples swell. Sighing, he walked up beside her.

"Tanya, we were just talking." Adam said, defending him and Elizabeth. He knew his girlfriend was often jealous of the camaraderie between him and the Green Ranger, but he couldn't help that, and he was not ashamed or guilty about his friendship with Elizabeth.

"It didn't seem like a lot of talking to me," Tanya snapped, glaring at him.

"Tanya," Adam replied, as calmly as he could, "Elizabeth and I are best friends. I'm sure you can understand that. She's your best friend too."

"But I'm not hugging her like there's no tomorrow!" Tanya barked.

"She and I were reminiscing about old times. We got a little emotional, that's all. And I'm tired of defending myself when I've done nothing wrong. How could you accuse me of cheating on you when I'm been entirely faithful? I've never done anything behind your back and you know it!" Adam said, exasperated.

"Adam Park, we both know that you still hold a torch for your ex-girlfriend," Tanya shouted. "Maybe you were faithful to me in your body, but I know you were never faithful to me in your mind! I'm not stupid. I see how you look at her, when you're supposed to be looking at me!" Tears were flowing freely down the African girl's face, and she wiped at them angrily.

"I never looked at her in any way, Tanya. She's my best friend, and I love her as one. Alright, I admit I may have thought of her on some occasions, but I'm human! I make mistakes. And besides, I'm not the only one in this relationship who has wandering eyes!" Adam retorted, not the least bit sorry for his girlfriend.

"What does that mean?" Tanya shrieked.

"I saw the looks you gave to a certain Gold Ranger at one point." Adam sneered, his face flushed with anger.

Tanya immediately blushed, her heart pacing. She quickly masked the emotion though, replying- "I never gave any sort of look to Jason!"

Adam smirked, "Tanya, you're not very good at hiding your emotions. I saw you blush. You like Jason, admit it. Since he came back, you've liked him. I didn't want to say anything back then, because I tried to pretend it was an illusion, but now I know the truth. You've always had feelings for him, didn't you?"

"How dare you accuse me! You have no right to say that." Tanya shouted.

"I was right, wasn't I? You like Jason! And here you are, trying to accuse me of having feelings for Elizabeth." Adam scoffed.

"You do have feelings for her!" Tanya cried. "I know you do. You've never stopped loving her. Breaking up with her was the worst decision of your life, and if you could go back, you'd redo it all over again. Don't you think I know all that?"

"I broke up with her because I had feelings for you. What are you trying to say- that the feelings we share mean nothing?" Adam asked, his voice softening.

"They're not nothing, Adam," Tanya said, her voice dropping an octave as well. "But the truth of the matter is that—I don't—I don't think our feelings for each other were real. They were just false impressions, something that played with our minds. We don't really love each other like that."

Adam waited for his heart to shatter. But as her words replayed in his head, he knew that she was right. He thought he loved her, but it was all just a trick of his mind and heart. He had tried to force himself to love her because he had been too brokenhearted over losing Elizabeth. And she didn't love him in that sense at all, a thankful note on her part for not falling in love with him.

"Tanya," he took her hand in his, "I love you. That's the truth. I love you, but it's not in that romantic, head-over-heels way. I love you as a sister, as a teammate, and as a friend."

"Me too," Tanya admitted, looking down ashamedly. She took a deep breath and glanced back up at Adam's consoling dark eyes. "Adam, since I came to Angel Grove, you've been one of my best friends. You've helped me adjust to my new life here, and I really appreciate your friendship. And I've cherished our relationship as well, despite the lack of true love we hold for one another."

Adam nodded wordlessly. He knew what was coming up, but surprisingly, he wasn't worried about it. He knew it was the only right thing to do, considering their positions.

"Adam, I think that it's best if we…" Tanya stopped herself, wondering if she should say it. He was still her friend, and she didn't want to break his heart.

"Break up?" Adam suggested lightly. Tanya nodded feverishly.

Adam smiled slightly, "I think that's the best idea we've had in a long time." Tanya returned Adam's gracious smile, feeling a heavy weight lift off her shoulders. Adam embraced her, and she closed her eyes, knowing it was the last time they would hug as a couple. Adam broke apart first, smiled down at the beautiful Yellow Ranger, and kissed her forehead.

Tanya grinned, "Mutual breakup?"

Adam grinned back, "Mutual breakup."

Tanya nodded and began walking back towards the park. Adam stood by the lake, watching Tanya from the corner of his eye. Abruptly, she stopped and turned around. Adam glanced up curiously.

"Adam, one day or another, you're going to have to admit that you're in love with Elizabeth, to her and to yourself." She stated frankly. Then, she turned back around and walked away, ending another chapter in both of their lives.

Adam said nothing.

* * *

_At the park…_

"Where have you been?" Kat asked, squinting as the bright sun shone from overhead. Tanya kneeled down and pulled on her gloves.

"I was talking to Adam," Tanya replied matter-of-factly.

Kat knew something was up. She could tell from the way Tanya was planting the petunias that something had happened to her best friend, and she was intent on figuring the mystery out.

"And?" Kat pressed.

"We broke up," Tanya replied simply, not taking her eyes off her work.

Kat gasped, "You did! Tanya, I'm- I'm so sorry."

Tanya looked up, smiling slightly. "Don't worry, Kat. I was the one who suggested we break up, though we seemed to have to come to a unanimous decision that it was a mutual breakup. I think we've both more relieved than sad that we ended our relationship."

Keen on learning the details, Kat urged Tanya to continue.

"We both realized that we weren't in love with each other, and we probably never will. We're perfectly happy just being friends. It was a good, clean, solid breakup." Tanya answered honestly.

"So, you're not disappointed or angry?" Kat asked.

Tanya shook her head, "Not at all. I'm positively delighted, actually."

Kat grinned, "Only you would be happy at breaking up with Adam Park."

The Yellow Ranger shrugged, patting down the soil with her hands. "I'm just glad we've resolved everything between us. I noticed things were rocky between us for months. We haven't gone on an actual date since September."

Kat nodded sympathetically. "So your breakup had nothing to do with the fact that Adam loves Elizabeth?"

Tanya evaluated her friend's question for a brief minute before responding- "Honestly, no. I thought it would eventually turn out that way, but we both understand that our breakup was strictly because we are not compatible as boyfriend and girlfriend. I think Elizabeth was a divert factor that could have prevented us from breaking up cleanly, had I submitted to my prejudice. I have nothing against her; she's one of my best friends and I know she'd never do anything with Adam behind my back. I don't even know if she loves Adam back the way he loves her. This is not Elizabeth's fault, and she has nothing to do with our breakup, anymore than you do. This is plainly between me and Adam. As for what happens now between those two, I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

Kat nodded in acceptance, "I'm glad that you two had a clean breakup. Things could have been a lot worse."

"Tell me about it! At least, we're still friends, and I'm happy." Tanya declared cheerfully.

"That's good to hear," a familiar voice replied. The two girls looked up to see Rocky hovering over them, smiling faintly.

"Rocky!" The two girls stood up quickly, embracing their friend. Rocky grinned at the affection and attention he was receiving.

"How are you? Are you alright?" Kat asked, looking both worried and relieved. Rocky smiled at the Pink Ranger, urging the two girls to sit down. They obeyed willingly, squatting next to Rocky, their focus entirely on him.

"I'm perfectly alright. Alpha gave me a sedative that would help me sleep and heal my injuries. I'm up to par right now; I've still got a few mean bruises, but otherwise, I'm peachy and ready for action."

Tanya and Kat sighed with relief. The three of them continued to carry on their conversation, until Tommy noticed his teammate's reappearance. The Red Ranger sauntered over, dropping his gloves. Kat immediately made room for him beside her, and he fell down next to her.

"It's good to see you're alright, Rocky." Tommy grinned, slapping one hand on Rocky's shoulder.

The Blue Ranger smiled, "Thanks, man. It's good to be back," then his gaze fell around the circle, his brow furrowing at the absence of two Rangers. "Where are Adam and Elizabeth?"

"They took a break awhile ago." Kat responded.

"Oh, okay." Rocky nodded.

"They haven't been back in awhile. Think they're okay?" Tommy inquired, frowning at the prolonged absence of Adam and Elizabeth.

Tanya and Kat exchanged meaningful expressions, which Rocky picked up immediately. Growing up in a family full of brothers and sisters, he could instinctively tell when something was up, especially something dreadful.

"What's wrong?" Rocky demanded, staring at his female teammates.

"Um…." Kat stole a glance at Tanya, who was intently staring at her shoes.

"Come on, you two. Tell us what's up." Tommy urged, locking eyes with his girlfriend. Kat twisted a smile, and succumbed to her boyfriend's pleas.

"Alright, I suppose," she looked at Tanya, who was silent. "Well, you should know that Tanya and Adam…well, they…"

"We broke up." Tanya declared tightly, her gaze straightening and regarding each of her teammates with a cool smile.

"You did!" Rocky exclaimed, looking very much flabbergasted. Tommy was simply staring at Tanya with wide eyes, unable to form words.

"Yes. We thought it was best. We're not compatible and we have no romantic feelings for each other." Tanya replied calmly.

"I…I…this is a dream, right? Adam and you broke up? That's the last thing I would have expected to happen today, or any day." Rocky said, shaking off the effects of Tanya's statement.

"I didn't plan it either, Rocky," Tanya said, sympathetically regarding the Blue Ranger with a tilt of her head. "But love is like that. It's unpredictable. Love is pain. Life is pain; you can't protect anybody from it. It's always going to get you. But sometimes life could also be good. But you got to be open. You got to take chances. You got to let go."

Contemplating the Yellow Ranger's words, Rocky nodded slowly.

Tanya sighed, "Can we please change the subject? Let's not talk about me and Adam. Let's talk about…uh…the dance!"

Several smiles brightened. Rocky, Kat, and Tommy exchanged a resigned look, accepting Tanya's discourse and averting the sensitive topic.

"I can't wait. After all this construction and remodeling and moving, I'm ready for something that's laidback and relaxing." Tommy replied.

"Me too, I'm so glad Elizabeth came up with the idea." Kat approved wholeheartedly. She was very pleased that she was going to spend the whole night dancing in Tommy's protective arms. Nothing could falter her mood. The only problem was what to wear to the dance. Though Elizabeth claimed that the dance was strictly casual (as the survivors didn't have many clothes left with), Kat knew she had to wear something other than her usual worn and sod-ridden pink tank top and denim shorts. She wanted to dazzle Tommy with her elegance; though right now it proved quite difficult, seeing that she had few clothes to choose from.

"Who are you guys taking?" Rocky questioned, surveying his friends.

Kat and Tommy traded tender glances, blushing as their friends smirked. Rocky ribbed his leader, smiling broadly. "You might actually be the only one of us with a date, Tommy."

Tanya looked down, slightly crestfallen. She had forgotten that she and Adam had broken up just hours before the dance. Some part of her wished that she had postponed the breakup just so she wouldn't be so lonely at the dance, but she good-humoredly figured that at least she'd be with her friends. And maybe she and Adam could still dance together, just as friends.

"Sorry, Tanya," Rocky murmured, after seeing his friend's crestfallen face. He didn't want to cause her anymore pain than she already was experiencing.

Tanya smiled and touched Rocky's arm gently, assuring him. "It's okay, Rocko. I really don't care if I have a date or not. Besides, I'm going to have fun with my friends."

Rocky nodded, "That's true."

"Who are you taking, Rocky?" Kat asked, turning the focus onto the Blue Ranger. She and the other Rangers instantly noticed Rocky turn beet-red.

"Um…no one…" Rocky replied, looking down.

Tommy smirked, "Aw, come on man, who's on your mind today?"

"I'm sure any girl would love to dance with you, Rocky." Tanya said, smiling. She half-wondered whether the girl Rocky wanted to take to the dance was the one who she thought it was.

"No one, guys. I don't know anyone who'd go to the dance with me." Rocky said, his voice betraying hidden feelings of distress.

The other Rangers noted that Rocky was beginning to feel slightly hurt by their ribbing, so they simultaneously stopped. Kat sympathetically touched Rocky's shoulder and said- "Look, whoever you want to ask, just ask. You're a wonderful guy, Rocky, and I know a hundred girls at our school wishing that you would step up and ask them. And I'm sure that the one you want to ask is included in that hundred."

Rocky smiled faintly, turning to Kat with a return of gratitude. "Thanks, Kat. That's really sweet of you," there was a brief pause, and then Rocky asked- "Where's Elizabeth?"

A light bulb inside Tanya's head flashed brilliantly. She half-smiled and replied, "The last I saw her was over by the tree near the volunteer drink stand."

"Okay," Rocky nodded, and stood up quickly, heading over to the volunteer drink stand.


	7. You're An Angel

The long-awaited kiss has arrived! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 7: You're An Angel**

_Poor Adam, I wonder what's taking him so long. I just saw Tanya walk by a few minutes ago…and she didn't seem very happy. God, I hope they didn't have a fight or something worse because she saw me with Adam! But she knows that I'm Adam's best friend, and that's all we are. After all, Adam broke up with me so he could be with Tanya. Surely, she must understand all this. I wonder if Rocky's alright…_

Elizabeth pondered, mulling over so many issues that her head was starting to pound. She stood up hesitantly, wondering if she should go after Adam and see if he was alright. But then, she wondered if she shouldn't, because if he and Tanya did have a fight or broke up, he needed time alone to sort everything out. Contemplating this dilemma, she was about to walk down to the lake when she heard a familiar ringing voice.

"Elizabeth!"

She turned and gasped, her hand flying to her mouth and her eyes starting to brim with exultant tears. She watched as Rocky grinned goofily and broke into a run. She felt her legs pick up as well, and she found herself flying towards her best friend with joy. All at once, she stopped and Rocky picked her up easily, spinning her round and round like they were children, giggling and laughing as though no one else was around. The world had stopped just for them, and for a brief, glimpsing minute, they weren't superheroes whose duty was to protect the fate of the world, and they weren't rising senior students merging on the road towards college and the future. For a fleeting, but truly glorious moment, they were just two best friends in love.

Rocky gradually stopped spinning his best friend, his smile still evident on his face. He set her down gently, beaming down at her as though she was an angel. Elizabeth's countenance was shining with tears of delight. They stared into each other's faces for the longest moment, as though memorizing the details of their faces, sketching the curves and edges of their friendship.

"Rocky," she started, but couldn't finish as she stared into Rocky's brown eyes. He was looking at her with an intensity of passion and affection that made her positively faint; his eyes penetrating hers with years of friendship and platonic love, now flickering with hints of quixotic stances.

Then, still leaning against him, he pulled her towards him by the hand holding her wrist. Surprised, she stumbled, and fell against him. And he kissed her. Later, Elizabeth would think that he had obviously put everything he had, every ounce of feeling for her, every vestige of passion and every shred of frustrated love, into that kiss. As if he were trying to burn whatever it was he felt out of him, exorcise it, and wring it dry. At the time though, she was only aware that her knees were buckling and there was a roaring sound in her ears as if someone were holding seashells over them. She shut her eyes and saw lightning dance across her inner lids.

His voice gave out and his face crumbled; he stared into her eyes for a few agonizing seconds, shaking his head. His gaze was filled with speechless disbelief, as if he'd never known himself until that moment. An ancient and decaying wall inside Elizabeth's heart collapsed with a mighty crash and she threw her arms around his neck with a cry, swallowing past the hoarse sobs that rose in her throat. He clutched her to his chest with panicky tightness, burying his face in her hair.

Her fingers dug into the flesh of his back but no matter how she tried she couldn't hold him any tighter. "Rocky, I don't..." she began, and then all at once found that she could not continue because his lips were in the way, pressing urgently against her own. For a shocked second Elizabeth wasn't sure what was happening, then she opened her eyes to find Rocky just staring at her with a dumbfounded expression on his face; her mouth was tingling from what had _not_ been an imaginary kiss.

_Did that just happen?_ She thought. Her mind was racing. She slid her hands around to the back of his neck to bring her lips to his, hesitantly; his arms encircled her with light pressure to draw her closer. Once the contact was made, however, all restraint vanished as if a switch had been thrown. He plunged his fingers into her hair and she melted against him, tightening her arms around his shoulders as they kissed, caught up in a tidal wave of passion so intense Elizabeth had to wonder where it had come from...or perhaps it had been there all along, just biding its time. Her neck arched, her head falling back so that she stared wonderingly at the bright blue sky as his mouth moved down the pale column of her neck, her hands tangled restlessly in his unruly mop of hair. He took a breath and seemed about to speak; she dragged his lips back to hers, cutting off his words. She angled her head towards him; both of them bound up by a strange urgency that made her pull him closer, small sounds escaping her throat, and made him kiss her harder so she could scarcely breathe.

"Rocky," she whispered hoarsely, starting to break apart. She opened her eyes, finding him breathing hard, trying to unravel the past few minutes. She smiled slightly as she watched him straighten his hair; touch his lips, and quirk a bright smile that could have illuminated pure darkness.

"Did we do that?" He asked quietly, his voice light and feathery.

She was silent for a minute, contemplating. Rocky had kissed her before. Friendly peck on the cheek. Smacking and exaggerated (but innocuous) kiss hello. Chaste, closed-mouth smooch on New Year's Eve. She had hugged him as freely as she would a close female friend or a brother. He had changed clothes in front of her. She had cut his hair for him. He had seen her in nothing but a towel with her hair dripping water onto her shoulders.

There was no mystery left there, no idiosyncrasies left to be uncovered. At no time had there been any tension, because they'd had The Line and woe is to anyone who crossed it. They had certainly never kissed like this. The truth was that she'd never kissed anyone like this, and that included Adam. Her mind was spinning and spinning and her bones felt like they were liquefying inside her skin.

"Rocky, I…" Elizabeth paused, wondering.

"You're an angel," he murmured softly, staring into her bright eyes. Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat, amazed at what had happened. She felt her insides tingle with affection that was either never revealed before or was secretly buried beneath all her intimate feelings of friendship towards Rocky. She half-wondered when she began falling in love with him, speculating what would happen next. From the look in his eyes, she knew that he too, understood that they had crossed The Line and their relationship was stepping up.

Her smile turned soft and she locked eyes with Rocky. "You'll always be my best friend, Rocky, no matter what. No amount of distance- or stars can change that." Her voice was confident and reassuring.

"Same with me, Elizabeth," he replied. Hesitantly, he drew her into a tight embrace. He could hear her soft breathing and her heart racing. The sweet scent of strawberries and jasmine flowers enveloped him in a halo of paradise.

_Am I in love with my best friend?_ He asked himself, watching Elizabeth trace her finger down his chest, attempting to tickle him. He chuckled to himself, his expression brightening as Elizabeth blushed and smiled too. _Oh shit, you are so in love with your best friend_, he thought furiously, as she rewarded him with another dazzling smile.

"Elizabeth, I'll always love you." He said honestly.

"I'll always love you too, Rocky." She replied. Then, she raised her head, her dark hair spilling across his chest. A flicker of wonderment and warmth glimmered in her eyes, and they both leaned forwards, without hesitation.

They savored a sweet, intoxicating kiss. She felt herself clutching at Rocky as if she might fall otherwise; felt him gripping her arms with a force that was painful. She would have bruises, but she didn't care. She couldn't breathe, but she didn't care. She could feel his heart beating wildly against hers and that was what mattered; that, and the pressure of his mouth on her and the yearning she felt from him as he kissed her.

"Elizabeth, would you do me the honor of accompanying me to tonight's dance?" He whispered as she rested her palms against his chest. He ran his hand through her hand and pressed his lips harder against hers.

"Absolutely, Mr. DeSantos," She whispered breathlessly.

"Thank you, Miss Watson." Rocky smirked, trailing kisses along her cheeks and lips. He broke apart unwillingly.

"What does this mean for us now?" Rocky asked, interlocking hands with his new girlfriend and steering her towards a nearby tree. They sat down, Elizabeth enveloped in his arms, leaning against his chest.

"Well, if my vocabulary serves me correctly, I believe we are dating, Mr. DeSantos." Elizabeth said in an air of blissfulness.

Rocky grinned, "But I just asked you to the dance tonight, Miss Watson. That does not mean that we are officially dating."

Elizabeth shifted in his arms to meet his eyes. She arched an eyebrow and whispered- "Should I convince you that we should date?"

Rocky knew she was challenging him, and he smiled, always ready for a challenge, especially one from the clever Elizabeth.

Smirking, Elizabeth tilted back her head and raised her lips to kiss him. It was like lightning striking with fireworks and stars hanging around them, stopping in their own time to look at them. Her hands clutched onto his arms and he placed his own on each side of her cheek.

He was very aware that her own tongue mixed with his and that she was giving him everything she had- everything she wanted to give him…every emotion spilling out of her like a cascade of rain. He tried to memorize everything around them-from the place they sat to the feel of the kiss that he was obtaining. Kissing Elizabeth was like coming home.


	8. The Second Accident

**Chapter 8: The Second Accident**

After several sunlit days, or one elongated glorified minute, they broke apart, Elizabeth's eyes dancing with firelight and Rocky panting for breath. She arched her eyebrow again, obviously prompting him to answer her challenge.

"That was a very convincing answer." Rocky replied, smiling.

Elizabeth beamed, "I thought so too. Are you convinced?"

Rocky pretended to mull over the idea. "Hmm…well, I _suppose_, but you will have to prove yourself to me every once in awhile."

Elizabeth grinned, kissing his cheek. "We'll see," Then, ducking playfully from Rocky's returning kiss, she smiled teasingly.

"I never thought you were so hard to please, Rocky." She smirked teasingly.

Rocky grinned back, "I _am_ high maintenance," but before he could say anything else, they were interrupted by the familiar six-tone beep that they had become so intimately acquainted with in the past two years.

"I read you, Zordon. Elizabeth's here as well." Rocky spoke into his communicator after checking their surroundings. His voice instantly registered leadership mode, and it surprised Elizabeth how quickly he could be become so serious after their lengthy intimate moment.

"Rocky, Elizabeth, Zedd and Rita have sent a group of putties down by the caves. I need you to teleport there and see what is going on." Zordon requested.

"Right, Zordon," Rocky lowered his communicator and sighed heavily. He turned to his girlfriend with evident disdain. "Looks like we're going to have hold off on our conversation for awhile," Elizabeth smiled bemusedly and nodded, squeezing his hand in acceptance. "Come on, we need Zeo Power now!" He swung his arms together until his right Zeonizer locked vertically in place to his left horizontally-held Zeonizer, causing a gold disc to flip up from his left wristband, creating a burst of blue Zeo energy, and initiating the morph.

"Zeo Ranger 4!" Rocky shouted, moving his arms down to his side as his suit activated, blue light flooding out from his Zeonizer disc.

"Zeo Ranger 3!" Elizabeth shouted, swinging her arms together until her Zeonizers connected and created a splash of green Zeo energy. She quickly brought her arms down to her side as her suit activated too, green light spilling out from her Zeonizer disc.

Once morphed, the two Rangers teleported out of the park and leapt into action, landing within range of the putties, who were harassing a group of young children. Rocky and Elizabeth took fighting stances alongside one another.

"Hey, pea-brains, look over here!" Rocky yelled, alerting the putties to the Rangers' presence. They released the children, who ran off, screaming.

The putties took up fighting stances as well, challenging the Rangers. Rocky and Elizabeth looked at each other and smiled under their helmets. "Ready for another round of fun?"

"You bet I am." Instantaneously, the two Rangers leapt into battle. Renewed strength coursed through Rocky as he fought the foot soldiers with ease. _That's what they get for messing with me this morning_, Rocky thought as he kicked one putty into another.

The battle continued for a few more minutes, until Rocky gave his last putty a roundhouse kick to the stomach. The putty stumbled, fell back, and disappeared. Rocky straightened up and looked around, spotting Elizabeth dusting herself off. He ran up to her, pumped with energy.

"That was easy." He remarked, surveying the area.

"A little bit too easy, if you ask me. I think Zedd's got something bigger than just a few dim-witted putties for us to handle." Elizabeth countered.

Before Rocky could reply, a malicious laugh spliced the air in two. Rocky and Elizabeth turned around, tensed as they faced what appeared to be Zedd and Rita's new monster.

"And who might you be?" Rocky asked rudely.

"Where are your manners, Blue Ranger? Hasn't your mother taught you anything?" The monster retorted hauntingly.

"Yeah, she taught me not to talk to strangers!" Rocky barked, drawing out his Zeo pistol and taking aim. Surprisingly, the monster dodged easily, blocking Rocky's blasts. The monster withdrew a tall staff and aimed at Rocky, sending him flying backwards.

Elizabeth ran to the Blue Ranger's side, fear pounding in her heart. "Rocky! Rocky, are you alright?"

Wheezing, Rocky grasped onto Elizabeth's arm and pulled himself up roughly. "Yeah, I'm okay, but this guy's no picnic!"

"Finished yet, Rangers?" The monster smirked. "I am Armageddon, and I shall not be defeated!"

"Yeah right, and I'm best friends with Rita!" Elizabeth snapped. She sprinted into a run, extracting her Zeo pistol from its holster. Instantly alert, the monster sent crackling bursts of fire towards the Green Ranger, but Elizabeth managed to dodge the monster's blasts as she somersaulted through the air, shooting Armageddon with her pistol. The monster staggered back a few steps, and Elizabeth finished her attack with a flying kick to the monster's stomach.

Armageddon flew back to the ground. Growling, the monster stood up as fast as he could. Glaring at Elizabeth, he snarled, "I will not permit some cheesy Ranger to defeat me!" He withdrew his staff and attacked Elizabeth fiercely, showers of bright flames penetrating through Elizabeth's Zeo suit. She stumbled in astonishment, trying to prepare for another round of attack. Armageddon didn't allow her any time to relax, as he sent another round of shots, sending Elizabeth flying into the air and hitting dead-smack into a tree. She crumbled to the ground, and at once, her Zeo suit flickered and dissolved, leaving her back in her street clothes, her body motionless and battered.

Before anyone could make another move, four columns of light landed between Rocky and Armageddon. Kat swiftly checked on Rocky and helped him up. The five remaining Rangers took fighting stances against the monster.

"You mess with one of us; you mess with all of us." The Red Zeo Ranger shouted. Behind him, the other Rangers steadied themselves for battle.

The monster grinned wickedly, "Catch you on the flip side, Rangers!" And he vanished in a trace of bright orange light, leaving the Rangers bewildered and frustrated.

Once Armageddon left, Rocky separated from the team, demorphing as he ran towards Elizabeth's unconscious body. He seized her wrist and paused, sighing to himself as he found her weak but steady pulse.

He heard his friends approach him and turned around, meeting the soot-ridden faces of Tommy, Kat, and Tanya. He assumed that they had still been planting when Zordon called them to action. Adam looked relatively spotless, but Rocky could detect signs of weariness and strain on the Black Ranger. Slightly confused by his best friend's antics, Rocky simply cradled Elizabeth wordlessly in his arms. The other Rangers knelt down beside him.

"What happened?" Kat asked, her soft accented voice betraying her worry.

Rocky stifled a sob, supporting Elizabeth's limp body. Tanya squeezed his shoulder in comfort.

"She…that monster…he just…" Rocky couldn't bring himself to say anything. He didn't know how to explain the string of events that had led them up to this. The other Rangers nodded sympathetically. They didn't pressure Rocky to say anything more. They knew, in time, he would reveal what happened.

"We better go to the Power Chamber and get her checked up." Tommy said, instantly going back to leader mode. The others agreed reluctantly, watching Rocky as he continued to cradle Elizabeth.

"Come on, Rocky." Adam said, taking his friend by the arm and hauling him up. Rocky followed the others mutely, and still holding onto Elizabeth, disappeared with the other Rangers in flashes of colorful lights


	9. Renewal of Friendship

**Chapter 9: Renewal of Friendship**

_At the Power Chamber_…

"Sweet Lord, two accidents in one day?" Jason asked in shock, surveying his friends. Everyone looked visibly exhausted from the turn of events. He was tired too, after sitting for five hours straight on a flight back home from Florida, but when he had teleported to the Power Chamber to check on his friends, he had found them all crowding around the medical bay. After a few greetings, the team proceeded to tell Jason the events that had transpired during the day.

"Yeah, it looks like Zedd and Rita aren't going to give us an easy time despite the fact that they pretty much decimated Angel Grove." Tanya replied.

Jason blew air through his teeth, aggravated. "Not good. And I thought that when I came back, things would be better."

Tommy softly laughed, "Not really. It looks like things are pretty much ordinary here in Angel Grove." The rest of the team chuckled along.

"Is Elizabeth alright?" Jason asked, turning to Rocky and Alpha. Rocky had remained silent since Jason came back, choosing to remain at Elizabeth's side and overseeing her analysis. Jason knew why, of course. It didn't take much for anyone to see that Rocky held a deep and committing love for Elizabeth.

"Her tests are perfectly in order. She'll be all better in a few hours after I give her some of this remedy and then we must let her rest." Alpha instructed, inserting a syringe into Elizabeth's upper arm.

"Good," Jason breathed, running a hand through his hair. "So, what else has been going on?"

"Well, before this, we were volunteering for this conservation project that Elizabeth was overseeing. After the planting's done, we're going to go to the party that Elizabeth helped organize." Adam said, leaning against a console.

"Everyone's doing so much work," Jason said, finally understanding why his friends were so filthy, "I'm more than ready to help pitch in."

"That's great, because we're going back to the project now. Come on, Jase." Tanya reached for his hand. Both teens noticed a sudden electrical impulse that coursed through their hands and they jumped. Jason stared at Tanya for a minute, his eyes bright. He noted that she was beginning to blush from the touch and they awkwardly held onto each other's hand for another minute, before separating.

Jason turned to his other friends, bewildered by the sudden electrical touch. He never had that sort of feeling before. It didn't just feel like static electricity. It was something more…vibrant and lively. It sparked an interest in him, but he remained silent as Adam turned to Rocky.

"Are you coming, Rocky?" Adam inquired of his best friend.

Rocky shook his head, "I'll be along in a few minutes." Adam nodded.

Tommy turned to Zordon, "We're going back to the park now, Zordon. Call us if you need us."

"I will, Tommy. Go and relax, Rangers." Zordon commanded, and five streaks of light teleported out of the Power Chamber.

* * *

_At the Park_… 

"Wow, it looks great." Jason remarked as he watched volunteers scurry along the dirt-ridden paths, planting numerous flowers and seeds.

"Yeah, sooner than later, Angel Grove is going to look even more beautiful than before." Tanya observed.

Jason turned to the Yellow Ranger, thinking, _Nothing's more beautiful than you_. He shook himself from his daydream, wondering where the thought had come from.

"Jason, are you alright?" Tanya asked concerned.

"Me? Yeah, I'm okay." He gave Tanya a smile, urging her towards a patch of empty dirt. Shortly, they began planting, side by side.

"I hope Elizabeth will be able to attend tonight's dance. After all, it was her idea." Kat said worriedly, as she, Tommy, and Adam went to gather more plants.

"Don't worry. She's got spunk. She'll be celebrating with us in less than an hour on my watch." Tommy replied, smiling.

"Fifteen minutes on mine," Adam shot back, smiling as well. Though he was deeply concerned of Elizabeth's present state, he knew that she would pull through, just as she had always pulled through whatever crisis she found herself buried in. Elizabeth had been through much worse than unconsciousness. They all had. Being a Ranger wasn't an easy task. Most of them wound up in the Power Chamber medical bay with sprained arms and legs from putty and cog fights and monster battles. Some unfortunate ones even wound up in Angel Grove Hospital with a broken leg or arm.

_Elizabeth's going to be fine. She's got spirit and she's strong. She'll fight until it's impossible to go on, and even then, she'll keep fighting_, Adam thought. His mother had once told him that there were two kinds of people in the world: the ones that would keep fighting until there was absolutely no hope left and the ones that would keep fighting even after that. He always thought that Elizabeth fit the second category perfectly. She had undeniable faith in everyone she loved and everything she believed in.

"Rocky's really concerned about her." Kat's soft voice interrupted Adam's streamline of thoughts.

Adam smiled slightly, "Rocky and Elizabeth have always been like that. Even though the three of us, and Aisha, have been best friends since we were four, Rocky and Elizabeth were always closer. We may have been a closed tight-knit group of friends, but Rocky and Elizabeth always had a bond that Aisha and I were not apart of. We knew that, and we accepted it. The four of us always had a great time together, but it was Rocky and Elizabeth who were inseparable. They were always there for each other, since the beginning. Sometimes, I think it's because they were friends first before they became friends with me and Aisha, but other times, I think it's just because they understood each other perfectly without having to tell each other. They could just look at each other's expressions and know what's up."

"I always thought you and Rocky had that kind of inseparable friendship as well. And you and Elizabeth are practically joined at the hip every time I see you two!" Tommy teased.

Adam's smile brightened. "True, Rocky and I are best friends, and we have been there for each other for all the rough patches in our lives. He's been through all the hell that I've been through and he's usually the one pulling me through all the crap when my mom died and what I had to put up with my abusive dad. Hell, Rocky even gave up his family so that he could be with me and support me through a rough period in my life when I almost…" a lump grew in his throat and he tried to swallow past it, his head lowered and his eyes not meeting his friends'. He closed his eyes tightly, blocking away the memory that was trying to overwhelm him. "When I almost…never made it through…"

Kat gasped, rubbing Adam's arm comfortingly. Adam bowed his head, still unwilling to meet his friends' gazes.

"And Elizabeth…Elizabeth's been my constant support since I met her. She helped me through everything so I could overcome my fears. If it wasn't for her, I would be a totally different guy… someone I wouldn't be proud of. She realized the potential inside me and brought the best out of me. She can pretty much read my thoughts, know everything that's up with me. I have no secrets from her. I couldn't. Even if I wanted to, she'd see right through me," Adam swallowed his tears, recollecting. "The greatest thing about having Elizabeth as a friend is that no matter what, she'll always be there for you, as long as you asked for help or she intuitively knew, she'll come, even if she's an ocean away, she'll come. When we were eight years old, she promised me that she would make sure that nothing bad ever happened to me...and she kept that promise." He closed his eyes asthe memory coursed through him for the umpteenth time.

"Wow," Kat replied softly, "I can't…I…you never told us this before." She finally said, unable to form words. 

Adam looked up sadly, catching the sympathetic glances Kat and Tommy were giving him. "It's a past the three of us didn't exactly want to unbury. We tried really hard to ignore the crappy life I led. It was Rocky's idea that we take up martial arts together, so we can protect ourselves when we're older," a twinkle sparkled in his eye as he remembered the day that Rocky bounded into his room with the exciting news, dragging the Korean boy to the local dojo.

"And it was Aisha's idea that we have all kinds of adventures, like playing Dukes and swimming in the quarry, so that we can actually enjoy our childhood years," another twinkle flickered in his eye as he recalled all the years of playing the Dukes of Hazzard with his three best friends, to the point that they were affectionately nicknamed The Dukes of Stone Canyon by the neighborhood.

"And it was Elizabeth's idea that we learn how to do everything, like rollerblading, surfing, baseball, and football," the final twinkle glimmered in his eye as he reminisced all the activities the four of them participated in.

"Anyways, with all their ideas, I was able to forget about the life I led, at least during the day. Sometimes it got worse, and now and then would come one of my suicide attempts, and one of them would have to save me, even though I didn't want to be saved. Finally, it got to them and they knew they had to get me out of Stone Canyon, and so we all moved to Angel Grove. Rocky and Aisha cut off all contact with their families, Elizabeth convinced her parents to move to Angel Grove and let us stay with them, and the four of us…stayed together…at least, until Aisha left, but still…" Adam sighed, running a hand through his black curls. "Sometimes I regret never thanking them properly. They sacrificed a lot out of their lives to save me and to be with me," dawning realization shone on the Korean's face, "And now, it's my turn to be with them." He stood up abruptly, startling the Pink and Red Rangers.

"Adam, where are you going?" Tommy asked.

"I've got to go back to the Power Chamber. They need me now. And I should be there." Adam added. Hurriedly, he waved goodbye to his friends and rushed behind a tree, disappearing in a flash of black light.


	10. Forever and Always

**Chapter 10: Forever and Always**

_At the Power Chamber_…

"Shouldn't you be in the park with your friends, Rocky?" Zordon asked gently, studying the Blue Zeo Ranger with unease. Rocky had been unusually quiet since the Rangers teleported back into the Power Chamber.

"In a minute, Zordon," Rocky replied nonchalantly, his hand still laced in Elizabeth's. Zordon sighed inwardly, knowing that Rocky needed to be alone.

Swiftly, a black teleportation sequence materialized in the Power Chamber, and Zordon watched as Adam's tall frame appeared out of the black light. The Black Zeo Ranger looked up at Zordon and gave him a small smile, and then his eyes immediately fell on his two best friends.

_They've been friends for such a long time,_ Zordon mused, watching as Adam quietly strolled to the medical bay. _They need each other more than ever_.

"Rocky?" Adam's quiet, shy voice penetrated the silence. Rocky turned around promptly, expecting Alpha or someone else. Not Adam. His eyes widened in surprise as his best friend stood a few feet away from him and the medical bed. Rocky almost smiled as he watched Adam shuffle his feet timidly, his head slightly bowed, just like when he had met him. _Things don't change, do they_?

"Adam, I'm glad you're here." Rocky said truthfully. Adam looked up surprisingly. Rocky smiled and stood up, closing the distance between the two. He felt Adam lean against his embrace, and he reminisced their past, when he often held Adam whenever he was down.

"I'm glad I'm here too, Rocky." Adam replied bashfully. He swallowed the lump that was rising in his throat. "I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier. Actually, I'm sorry I haven't been here since we moved to Angel Grove."

Rocky stared at his best friend confusingly. "What do you mean?"

"You, Elizabeth, and Aisha gave up so much so that you could protect me. The three of you formed a safe haven for me. And once we moved here, I just…let myself get so entangled in everything…school, new friends, Power Rangers…that I failed to really acknowledge everything you've done for me. I owe you big-time, and I'm sorry I wasn't around so much for the last three years. I feel like such an idiot, doting on Tanya and dumping Elizabeth without so much of an explanation, not being there when her parents, the same parents who took me in like a son, who took all of us in willingly, died, not being there when Jen died, and trying to pretend that Aisha leaving us meant nothing to me. I really am sorry, Rocky. You have every right to be mad at me. I never properly thanked you for everything, but I'm telling you now that I love you. I love you like I would my own brother. You _are_ the brother I never had. And despite the fact that I was so selfish and caught up in my own affairs, I really do appreciate everything you've done for me, Rocko. I just wish I could express it in a better way."

Rocky gulped the unfamiliar pang of homesickness. Adam's speech made him realize how much he did miss the family he left three years ago. He rarely ever thought about his family anymore. At first, after moving to Angel Grove for the first couple of months, he missed them terribly, often crying himself to sleep or looking over old family albums. Gradually, the pain disappeared as he separated his old life from his new. He tried his hardest to forget his family and focus on Adam and his friends- his second family. After being selected as the Red Ranger, it became easier to forget. With new responsibilities and duties, Rocky hardly ever thought about his mom and his siblings. And the past few years had then flown by quickly, without a trace of the family he once knew. Now, the old feelings swelled and Rocky found his eyes brimming with tears.

"Adam," Rocky murmured, drawing his friend into another hug. "Look man, you never pushed me to leave Stone Canyon and my family. I took the chance. And so did Aisha and Elizabeth. We left our hometown because we care first and foremost about you. And I don't regret leaving. And I'm certain Aisha and Elizabeth don't regret it either. We all love you, Adam. The four of us, the Golden Quartet, are now and forever. Even if Aisha's gone, even though we're not as close as we once were, we're still best friends and we'll always be," Adam nodded feverishly, choking back tears of his own. "And I know you appreciated our help. I could see it everyday."

"God, Rocky, what would I do without you?" Adam whispered hoarsely.

"Lucky for you, you'll never have to find out." Rocky chuckled.

"Hey, don't I get to be apart of the action?" A third voice interrupted. Rocky and Adam looked up startlingly, discovering where the source of the voice had come from. Elizabeth was perched on the edge of the medical bay, her legs swinging playfully and her eyes bouncing with happiness.

"How long have you been up?" Rocky demanded, instantly by her side.

A wide grin spread across the Green Ranger's face. "Long enough to wonder whether your sexual preferences are what they appear to be," She ducked as Rocky tried to tackle her with the pillow, laughing. Adam joined in the fun, attempting to tickle Elizabeth, while Rocky slugged her in the stomach with the pillow. Infectious laughter rang in the Power Chamber, followed by the pants and chuckles as the three of them fell on the floor in laughter.

Elizabeth sat up, holding out her two hands. Without being told, Rocky and Adam each took one, smiling.

"Know this, you two. I love you both. Adam," she squeezed his hand. "Like Rocky, I don't regret leaving Stone Canyon. Sure, I miss the old bluffs and caves and all the adventures and fun we had there. But I'm not sorry I left. As long as I had you and Rocko and Aish, I was perfectly content. And you know," she glanced at Rocky and then Adam, "it's not too late for us to rekindle our friendship and become even closer than before, even closer than we were when we were little."

Rocky and Adam exchanged grins and nodded. "That sounds like a plan to me." Rocky smiled. "What about you, Adam?"

The Black Ranger gazed at his two best friends, memories once again flooding him as they watched him eagerly, waiting for the answer they knew would come. "I promise," He declared, "we'll be friends, now and forever."

* * *

_Concluding Notes_: Yes, yes, I know...another scene between these three...but then again, the story is mainly focused on Adam, Rocky, and Elizabeth. 


	11. The Dance

I'm so close to finishing, so here's another chapter...

* * *

**Chapter 11: The Dance**

_At the park_…

"I want to thank everyone who came here today and helped out with the project. It really means a lot to the community and you all did a spectacular job. Angel Grove is well on its way to becoming beautiful and strong again," Cheers rang through the audience. "And to thank you for your wonderful work, we will now proceed on with the dance!" More cheers split the air as volunteers shouted in merriment and satisfaction. "So, everyone go and get cleaned up that we can begin the fun. By the time you guys come back, the park will be transformed into the party you've earned." A final round of applause hits the June atmosphere, and people began to scatter, going their separate ways to get ready for the celebration.

Elizabeth dismounted the small podium, turning to one of the volunteers. "Thanks, Emily. Want me to help you take this back?"

"No, that's okay. I borrowed it from Lieutenant Stone and my house is on the way to the station, so I'll just drop it off. Go get ready for the party. You worked hard too, girl." Emily beamed, shoving Elizabeth in the direction of the shelters. Elizabeth waved goodbye, joining her friends in a single line.

"Ready to roll?" Rocky asked, swinging one arm over his friend.

"Absolutely, it's time to mingle." Elizabeth replied. She frowned slightly as she noticed that Kat was looking slightly put down. She untangled herself from Rocky's embrace, walking over to Kat. The other Rangers continued chatting amongst themselves, leaving Kat and Elizabeth to talk quietly.

"What's wrong, Kat?" Elizabeth asked softly, in case this was a private matter Kat didn't want to discuss with the others.

The Pink Ranger sighed heavily. "I have no idea what I'm going to wear to this dance," Kat complained. "I know I shouldn't worry about my appearance since it's just a casual dance, but I don't want to look like a mess either."

Elizabeth smiled, "Don't worry, Kat. I've got some clothes that you can try and choose from, if you'd like. Since my house wasn't completely burned down, I managed to save a majority of my clothes, and you're more than welcome to borrow some."

Kat beamed with relief. "Oh, are you sure?" Elizabeth nodded. "Thank you Elizabeth! That's so nice of you."

"No problem, Kat. Although I don't really see why you're so worried about what you're wearing," her voice dropped to a whisper. "Tommy thinks you look good in anything you wear."

Kat blushed, "Thanks."

"Or anything you're not wearing," Elizabeth smirked, earning a playful punch from her friend.

* * *

_At the shelter_…

"Are you going to change?" Rocky turned to his best friend inquisitively, his left hand clutching a clean, pressed blue shirt. He was lucky enough to have found it after digging into the contents of his bag, searching frantically for something that wasn't worn or unsuitable for the dance. True, it was going to be a casual event and many of the survivors didn't have many clothes to begin with, but Rocky wanted to make a favorable impression on his date tonight.

"Yeah, I managed to find a clean shirt for tonight. Do you need one? I have another one if you want to borrow it." Adam replied, taking off his soiled green top and hastily putting on a spotless green checkered shirt. He flattened his unruly hair as best as he could and tossed a smile to Rocky.

"No, it's okay. I've got one," Rocky held up his clean shirt.

"Got a date for this?" He asked nonchalantly, sliding to the floor as Rocky began changing his shirt.

"Yeah," Rocky replied, slightly embarrassed. He hadn't told Adam that he was taking their best friend to the dance, and he was deathly afraid that Adam would seriously consider the date an act of betrayal on his part. Nevertheless, he gritted his teeth and said, "I asked Elizabeth to go with me and she said yes."

Adam's heart flipped. He raised his face to meet Rocky's, crestfallen. He concealed his feelings though as he encountered Rocky's nervous expression. Adam almost smiled. _He thinks he hurt me badly by asking Elizabeth. He thinks he betrayed me by taking out my ex-girlfriend and our best friend_. Part of him agreed. He was slightly upset, a portion of his heart wounded, and for a moment, he felt immense treachery on Rocky's part. But the more rational side of him, the side that always considered Rocky his best friend, gave way. _It's not like she's my property or something. She's certainly at liberty to go with whomever she wants. And I never told her that I loved her. I never told her how I felt about her to make her want to stay with me. Rocky has every right to go out with her. And besides, I'd rather Rocky date her than anyone else_.

"Hey," Adam stood up and stepped over his overflowing bag, grasping Rocky's shoulder and giving it a tight squeeze. "It's alright, Rocko. I'm not mad at you or anything. You deserve Elizabeth; you're the only person that makes her genuinely happy who I can trust," he smiled slightly, "besides me, of course."

Rocky relaxed into his familiar, trademark grin. "Since when did you build such an enormous ego?"

Adam shrugged, laughing. "Probably when I realized how crazy I was to have let Elizabeth go."

Rocky immediately sobered, "Adam…"

Adam waved his hand to stop his best friend and smiled gently, "Rocky, I said it's okay. I mean it. I had no idea you had feelings for her, but it doesn't matter. Elizabeth deserves someone like you- someone who's blatantly honest and open, who's witty and loyal, and who's possibly the greatest friend a person could hope for." Stunned and touched, Rocky searched Adam's face for any signs of wavering, of suppressed anger and hatred, but found none.

"And someone who has a handsome, rugged outdoorsy look." He added, laughing as Adam rolled his eyes, the two Rangers exiting the shelter and falling into the complementary rays of sunlight and moonlight.

"You may have the rugged, outdoors look, but I, my friend, have the sweet and sensitive look you could never achieve." Adam retorted, laughing.

"Sweet and sensitive? Where did you get that from?" The third voice of the Trio chimed chirpily. Adam and Rocky both turned around, Adam ready to retort with his jesting, but the two boys stopped.

"What?" Elizabeth asked, staring blankly at her friends.

"Uh…nothing…" Adam said; any form of wit left in him vanishing in a fraction of a second. Rocky stood besides him, dumbfounded, not uttering a word.

"Is something wrong, you guys? Do I look really bad?" She asked.

"No! No…you look…amazing." Adam replied after a moment's hesitation, gazing at his former girlfriend. Amazing was an understatement. She was truly breathtaking, not a single girl could hold a candle to her illuminated beauty. The moonlight touched her skin, casting a golden ray upon her. Her hair tumbled down her back in ripples of dark silk. She was wearing a splendid green dress that paled considerably at the moon's touch, twisting into the curves of her slender figure, and flaunting her tanned, lean arms and legs. She wore a familiar necklace, one that Rocky had given her for her fourteenth birthday, in the shape of a flickering blue heart. She also tackled on an equally recognizable pair of dangling silver earrings, ones that Adam had bestowed upon her for her fifteenth birthday.

"You look spectacular," Rocky murmured, reaching for her hands and planting a kiss on her rosy cheek. "Like a dream,"

Elizabeth blushed furiously, striking a twinge of torture at Adam's heart. Once upon a time, he thought only he had the power to make her flush like that, to be the only one to stir the generous effect that weakened his heart, to make her look at him with those bright, shining eyes, as though he was the only one that mattered most in her eyes.

Adam crossed to her right side, a smile evident in his eyes. "FYI, Lizzie, I _am_ sweet and sensitive. Even you couldn't deny that."

Elizabeth's countenance flushed at the use of her affectionate nickname as she took his arm and planted a kiss on his forehead. "I suppose, but then again, when have you become so egotistical to be referring to yourself in such qualities? That's not the Adam I know."

Grinning, Rocky entwined his hand with hers. "Told you, Adam,"

"Alright, alright, I admit defeat." Adam laughed. He chanced a look around and frowned slightly. "Where are the others?"

Elizabeth and Rocky glanced around as well. "I guess they're still inside." Elizabeth reasoned.

"Not anymore," Kat replied as she joined her three teammates. She had donned on an elegant black halter dress, bejeweled with countless pink swirls. Her hair was piled neatly on top of her head, pink gem earrings slinging humorously on her ears, and a pink diamond-shaped necklace to match. She looked remarkably spectacular and properly dressed as well.

"You look beautiful, Kat." Rocky smiled, examining the Pink Ranger with approval. Adam nodded in agreement.

"Kat, you look great," Elizabeth beamed as her friend performed a complete rotation, parading her dress.

"Thanks," Kat smiled, tucking a strand of blond hair that escaped, "You look great too." She replied.

"Everyone does," Jason's voice lingered as the Gold Ranger marched outside. Rocky, Elizabeth, Adam, and Kat turned around, smiling as Jason sided besides them, decked in a black short-sleeved shirt and clean khaki pants. A few minutes passed before Tommy and Tanya joined their teammates, Tommy sporting a red blouse over a black sleeveless top and black trousers, Tanya clad in the sleeveless flowery dress that she had worn for Ernie's luau.

"Let's go then. I'm starving." Rocky announced.

"When are you not?" Tanya teased. Jason stared at her glowing figure with admiration. He shyly reached for her hand, interlacing her fingers with his. Tanya turned to Jason with an inquisitive smile, a somewhat shocked and pleased expression planted on her face. She squeezed his hand, beaming with delight.

Adam watched the scene unfold with indifference. He realized awhile ago that he had never been in love with Tanya. The feelings he held for the Yellow Ranger were plainly devotion and awe of her strong independence and bravery. He smiled to himself as he watched Jason and Tanya smile at each other, obviously with affection. _I hope one day I can find that sort of love. _

"Adam? Sweetie?" A soft yet gentle voice tickled his ear and he slowly turned to face Elizabeth's kind green eyes. She tilted her head slightly, curious.

"Hey there, gorgeous," he grinned. He extended his arm to the Green Ranger, who smiled gladly and accepted it, grasping her hand onto his arm. They walked on, silent but contemplative, into the glimmer of stardust at twilight.


	12. I'll Be Alright

Author's Note: Here's the finished product. Thanks for reading and enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 12: I'll Be Alright**

_At the park_…

Music hummed peacefully as a slow song settled over Angel Grove Park. The volunteers of the conservation project danced leisurely as Savage Garden played on, relieved and proud of their determined dedication and hard work. Most of the attendees had actually managed to find decent clothes to wear, so that the dance turned out to be much more formal than they had thought. Boys timidly walked up to girls, extending hands and invitations to join them out on the dance floor. The girls excitedly went off, twirling into a slow-paced waltz.

On the east side of the park, the Rangers stood clustered as a new song vibrated through the park. It was another slow, romantic dance, and most of the Rangers squirmed at the thought of dancing with their significant other, or hopeful significant other.

Tommy immediately stood up, extending his hand out to a blushing Kat. She quickly accepted, hopping to her feet. Tommy wound his fingers in hers, smiling contentedly as the two twirled into a sea of dancers. The other Rangers gazed after them enviously.

Gritting his teeth, Jason stood up as well and held out his hand to a surprised Tanya. The Yellow Ranger stood up slowly, placing her hand into Jason's, locking eyes with him. They exchanged a small smile and began dancing too, completely engaged in the other person. Soon, they disappeared as well.

"Mind if I have this dance?" Rocky asked quietly, his voice dropping significantly. He held out his hand timidly, his face bright red. Elizabeth stared at him with delight and amazement. She staggered as she stood up, her hand reaching for his. Rocky entwined his right hand with hers, guiding her into the sea of floating dancers. She was unaware of all the volunteers, unaware of her friends and the beautiful June night spilling across the sky. All that she focused on was her date in front of her, her best friend of twelve years, smiling down at her with an expression that left her breathless. He was staring at her as though she was the only person that mattered to him, a look most women would envy to be on the receiving end.

"I never thought it would be like this," Rocky whispered, his breath tickling her ear. He seemed younger than before, his face masking mixed emotions. "When we were younger…all I cared about was…well, mostly trying to protect Adam from his dad…and just trying to enjoy life as a kid. When we moved to Angel Grove, it seemed as if some dark cloud had lifted over my eyes, and I saw you for the beautiful, intelligent woman that you are. I just wish I saw it earlier. If I did, then maybe we could have been together longer. Instead, I was a fool and I didn't even try to tell you how I felt. But I was scared," his voice shook, his hands trembled in hers. "I didn't want to lose you. I was afraid you'd reject me, and then things would be so uncomfortable between us. Our friendship means the most to me; if I ever lost you, I don't know how I could continue on. So, I tried to put my feelings behind me, knowing that I love you first and foremost, as my best friend. I never wanted to risk our friendship because of my stupidity, or my own selfish desires," he paused, staring into her green eyes. "But…the feelings I held inside intensified, and I couldn't stop them. Before I knew it, I was kissing you…and…I didn't want to stop. I couldn't stop. If I did, then any start to a relationship would have failed. I guess what I'm trying to say, out of all this rambling, is that I love you, Elizabeth." He halted briefly, taking in a more confident breath. "I love you, Elizabeth Charlotte Watson, now and forever. As I promised you before that I would always remain your best friend now and forever, I promise you here and now that I love you, now and forever, as well. Not just as a friend, but also as someone who can't imagine living the rest of his life without you." Tears dripped down his cheek, but he was smiling softly.

Elizabeth couldn't breathe. She felt her world spiraling. Her feet had left the ground and she was ascending into paradise. Gently, she released her hand from Rocky's shoulder and wiped a tear away. She laid her head against his chest, listening to the frantic, erratic beating of his heart, his big, pure, innocent heart.

"Rocky," she murmured, looking up, "I love you too. I'll always love you, now and forever, always. I don't know what to say. Just when I thought you couldn't amaze me anymore, you surprise me by reaching a whole new level of amazement. Everything you just said was so beautiful and so wonderful. I don't know what to think. I don't know what to say. What to do. But what I know is that I love you too. I love you, Rockford Eduardo DeSantos."

His hands stroked her back and she could hear them whisper against the cotton of her shirt, and then they were on her bare skin and she tilted back her head and he kissed her.

At first she was aware only of Rocky's mouth on her mouth, his hands sliding down her sides to grasp her waist and pull her more firmly against him, the sweet taste of him and the steady uninterrupted pounding of his heart.

It was the music she heard first; rising around them, piercing in its sweetness and distinctiveness, utterly beautiful. She pulled away from Rocky, whispered against his lips, "You hear that?"and he nodded, and tightened his arms around her.

"Wow," she said, a little wonderingly, and looked up as something brushed her face. Gazing up, she saw something she had never seen before or could have imagined: the stars, brilliant as diamonds, seemed, as she watched, to be detaching themselves from the black velvet of the night sky and fluttering downward, surrounding her and Rocky in a cage of sparkling lights. She knew it was an optical illusion or maybe a daydream, but it was nevertheless heartbreakingly beautiful. The stars, each the size of a fingernail and a brilliant silver-gold, piled themselves at her feet, lit on her shoulders, tangled themselves in Rocky's brown hair. She looked at him, following her own gaze upward.

"Can you see properly? It's beautiful." she said in a voice that shook a little.

He smiled then. "I can see you," he said. "That's all I need to see," and he took her hand again and pulled her against him, and this time she abandoned herself completely to kissing and being kissed by Rocky.

_Wow_, Adam thought, staring at his two best friends, completely absorbed in one another, kissing passionately, so lovingly. The Black Ranger sat down, sighing heavily. He forced himself to look at the other couples, but that seemed to distress him even more. He felt hot tears sting his cheek, and vigorously wiped them away. _Don't Adam_, he chastised himself.

"Adam?" A strong voice gripped his shoulder. He looked up, startled, but his expression turned into one of utmost shock as he reveled in the newcomer.

"Aisha!" He cried, jumping to his feet and embracing the former Yellow Ranger with an eager hug. He heard her laugh heartily and hug him back.

"Hey Adam, how have you been?" She asked, studying him. Adam stared at Aisha in astonishment. _Did she get prettier when she went to Africa?_ Her long hair showered behind her in curtains of braids. Her skin was practically glowing with radiance. She looked healthy and happy.

"Aisha, when did you come back? Why didn't you call us?" Adam demanded, taking his old friend by the hand and leading her away from the dance. The two of them started to walk towards the lake.

"I tried, Adam! I called you and Rocky and Elizabeth, but all your lines were down. I didn't know what had happened, and I was so scared, so I contacted Zordon via my communicator," she held up her wrist, bearing her communicator. "He told me that Angel Grove had been attacked a few weeks back, so everyone's phone lines were down. He assured me that you guys were alright and doing well, but I was so worried that I hopped on the next plane to California and came here as soon as I could."

"Are you here to stay?" He asked, hoping that she was.

Aisha beamed with exhilaration. "Yes! I found the cure to the plague a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to make sure, so I ran a few more tests, but everything cleared, and the cure was delivered. That's why I was calling you guys. I wanted to tell you that I was coming back to Angel Grove. Back home."

Adam hugged her tightly, his mouth curving into a smile. _Aisha's here to stay_, he thought happily. He studied her again, noticing that she was wearing a long flowing black skirt and a sleeveless yellow blouse. She was bearing the lovely heart-shaped locket her grandmother had given her a few years back, the locket that had saved her from the Hate Master's spell that bound the rest of the team into a fury of agitation and hatred for each other.

_She didn't need the necklace to be unaffected by the spell. She's got the biggest heart I know and she uses it. _

"Adam, are you okay? You looked kind of down when I first saw you." Aisha's concerned voice echoed, penetrating through his thoughts.

The Black Ranger smiled pensively, and without hesitation, clutched Aisha's hand. The former Yellow Ranger looked at her friend questionably, but instead of questioning his motives, merely squeezed his hand in response.

"I think I'm going to be just fine, Aisha." Adam said truthfully, feeling better than he had in days.

* * *

_Concluding Notes_: Oohhh, and there we end with a little slip into what could possibly be the start of Adam and Aisha's relationship. Yes, Adam and Elizabeth never did together; Elizabeth realized her heart belonged with Rocky, and Adam courageously stepped down because sometimes in love, that's what happens. You can't always win, and sometimes, you have to let the better man win. I'm not doing this because I hate Adam. Quite the contrary. But it's just that during Power Rangers, there is very little insight into Rocky. Mostly people view him as this stupid, air-headed jock who loves to eat and who goofs around constantly. I wanted to get a little depth into the Blue Zeo Ranger, so that people recognize Rocky's abilities and strengths as both a Ranger and as a friend.

Once again, thanks for reading this. I hope you enjoyed the story.


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